


For The Love of a Hunter.

by Be_Ve86



Series: The Huntress Series [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Healing, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Comfort, Cussing, Demonic Possession, Demons, Dialogue, Domestic Fluff, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Injury, Light BDSM, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Past Rape/Non-con, Smut, Violence, original creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2018-12-31 11:04:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 83
Words: 133,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12131082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Be_Ve86/pseuds/Be_Ve86
Summary: Katherine Gunner was born and raised to be a hunter. But when she is captured by the monsters she hunts, she will meet up with two brothers from her past. Can her and one of the brothers make a relationship work while fighting against the things that go bump in the night or will their time together end in tragedy?Chapters are relatively short with only a few longer ones. I hope you enjoy!Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or the Winchester Boys, unfortunately. I do own Katherine and her story.





	1. Katherine

 

     “I was born for this,” she whispered to herself, taking a deep breath and checking her aim. The pounding on the other side of the door was loud; the door was going give quickly. Katherine took another calming breath and released the safety on her gun. She knew the weapon was useless against the creatures on the other side, but she also knew she had nothing else that could work against them in this cabin.  _I know better. Why did I come here without backup?_

     Suddenly, the door crashed across the room. Katherine saw a woman on the other side of the doorway. She was tall, blonde, and not human. Her smile as she looked at Katherine was full of sharp fangs. Katherine started shooting, aiming for anywhere on the woman she thought might slow her down. She knew it was futile, but she had to try. The female vampire laughed, and two more vampires appeared in the doorway. The last thing Katherine saw before she was knocked unconscious was her cellphone as it counted the seconds of her phone call to her friend and fellow hunter, Nicole.

...

     Katherine sighed into the gag the vampires had placed in her mouth.  _So much for being born for this._  Katherine thought. Her hands were bound and tied to a large hook above her head. Her legs were also bound, each one to different D-ring tie downs embedded in the floor. She had been stripped naked and left there to hang.

     Kat couldn’t remember how long she had been here. She had lost count of the days and nights spent at the mercy of the vampires. She only knew that she couldn’t handle much more of their abuse. The feedings were terrible enough, but the brutal beatings became more than she could deal with after the first few. If Katherine had to guess based on their sleeping patterns, she had been there for fourteen days. Two weeks of having her body used and abused by the things she used to hunt.  

     Kat could hear the vampires rustling in the other room. They must have just gotten back from hunting, which meant it was a new day. Katherine stayed as still as possible, listening to the IV pump push fluids into her body.

     The blonde, female vampire came into the room she was being kept. Kat had learned her name was Estelle and she was the leader’s partner. She was usually the one that taunted Kat before the feedings or beatings began. Estelle seemed to like the torture. She would draw it out as long as she could. This vampire was also the one who set up the IV pump, though Kat had been too ill to remember why they wanted her alive so badly. 

     “Hmm, looks like our little hunter has awakened again,” Estelle mused, as she checked her IV pump. “Looks like this pump is working well. We’ll be able to have fun with you again very soon. Sadly, it also means you taste terrible.”

     “Like. You. Care,” Katherine said around her cloth gag.

     “True,” Estelle giggled. She reached up and grabbed Kat’s black hair, jerking her head backward. “I’d enjoy biting you anyway. Just to watch you squirm.”

     Katherine groaned at the pain Estelle was causing in her neck. Estelle let go of her hair and smacked Kat across the face. Chuckling to herself, she walked out of the room, giving Kat a cheeky finger wave before she shut the door behind her.  

     She took a deep breath. She knew Estelle leaving meant it was less likely other vampires were coming. Kat could feel her face starting to swell where she had been hit. She groaned and hung her head.  _If Dad could see me now._  


	2. Memories

     Katherine was born into a family of hunters. Both parents came from a long line of hunters. Her dad, Donald, used to tell her hunting was in her blood, so he had taught her from a young age what it was to be a hunter. She sat on his knee while he researched and her mother, Bernice, cooked and cared for her and her siblings. Bernice had quit hunting after the kids were born.

     Her parent’s had three children. Kat’s oldest sibling was a sister named Lyra. Lyra was three years older than Kat and Lyra hated their father’s job. She refused to learn about any of the creatures their dad hunted. Whenever their father had to go on a hunt, Lyra would throw a fit. Her fits would last until Don came home and cuddled her. Lyra had her good points though. She was fun to play with when they were little. She taught Kat how to do her hair and makeup when Kat had her first date. Also, Lyra was very protective of their brother.

     Kat’s other sibling was Gary. He was two years older than Kat and was the kind-hearted, big brother to Kat. He loved to make people feel better. But he never wanted the life of a hunter either. His biggest dream was to become a scientist or computer analyst. He was so smart too. He was always playing around with the computer their dad had brought home after a hunt. Don had said it was broken, but after a couple of days, and time dumpster diving, Gary had it up and working. Thier dad was so proud of Gary’s ingenuity that he would tell anyone that would listen to it. He taught Gary about being a hunter, but he always knew it wasn’t something Gary would stick with.

     Then there was Katherine. Kat loved learning about the creatures her dad hunted, and Don enjoyed teaching her. She soaked up the information like a sponge, and her dad would regularly quiz her on her facts, even in the middle of the grocery store. She started practicing with guns at five. Her dad took her to the backyard and had her shoot at different targets with different weapons. She memorized the best ways to kill each creature by 10. She always begged to go with her father on hunts. She wanted to help people, to make people safe from the things that go bump in the night.

      Her mom wanted the family to stop hunting. Hearing her husband quiz their youngest daughter regularly caused a lot of tension in the family, and her parents divorced when she was eight. Kat and her siblings were forced to live with their mother, Bernice since their dad didn’t have steady home care for them.

     Bernice was not always the best mother. Kat could tell she tried, but she had a wild temper, and she liked to take out her anger on her youngest child. She blamed Kat for the failing of her marriage and the breakup of the family. No matter how irrational it was, Bernice hated her youngest child. Even when it was uncovered that Bernice had been cheating on Donald for almost a year, Bernice insisted it was because of Kat. Kat had made her unhappy in her marriage. Kat had made her feel unwanted by Donald. It was always because of Kat.

     Within a year of Donald and Bernice’s divorce, Bernice was married to the man she had cheated on Don with. His name was Michael. He did not come from a hunting family. In fact, he knew nothing about that life. Michael was an alcoholic with a mean streak when he got plastered. He liked to terrorize the kids, mostly the girls. Mike would yell, stomp, but he rarely got physical. He would punch a wall before the kids, unlike Bernice. The kids were terrified of their mother and stepfather.

     The one good part of the marriage was that Kat, Gary, and Lyra gained two new step-siblings, two sisters named Kelly and Terra. Kelly was four years younger than Kat. Terra was seven years younger. Kelly loved playing and hanging out with Kat and would listen to her stories about demons, angels, vampires, and werewolves for hours. Terra and Kat didn’t get along though. Terra was too young and immature for Kat. She loved drama far too much, and Kat hated unnecessary drama.

     The best thing for the kids was when their dad would come and get them for his weekends. Each kid also got one week every three months to spend with their dad. Lyra would spend her week with Dad going shopping and partying with old friends. Gary spent them showing Dad the newest software or computer trick he’d learned about.

     Katherine was different. She spent her time with their dad helping him with research and continuing her studies as a hunter. She was also taken to meet friends of her fathers, who were also hunters. Don loved to show off his daughter and how amazing he thought she was. She had met his friends Bobby, Daniel, and Jim during these trips. They were fellow hunters that took to Kat and loved to help teach her new things. Kat adored this time with her father and his friends. She enjoyed listening to their stories all night long.

     By the time Kat was eleven, her dad was thinking about her first hunt. He knew she was still too young, but he had hopes that she would be ready in a couple of years. So Don started planning for her, buying extra gear that should be acceptable for her once she was old enough. He also began allowing her to help with interviews that involved children.

     Three months after her thirteenth birthday, Don took Kat to meet a couple of kids he said were much like her. They were being raised by a hunter, and he thought she would get along well with them. Their father had them on the road a lot, but he had decided to stop for a little while about eight hours from where Don lived.

     When Kat and her dad had made it to the town where the family was staying, Kat’s dad got them a room at a nice hotel; since he had missed her birthday, then he called his friend. They agreed to meet up at Kat and Don’s suite to eat pizza and hang out. Donald set about ordering pizza and soda before leaving to pick up a case of beer for the adults, giving Kat money for the delivery. 

    Kat locked the door after her dad left, even latching the chain and closing the blinds. She turned on the television in the living room of the large suite before jumping onto the large couch and relaxing.

     Kat’s dad hadn’t returned before there was a knock on their door. Kat stood up and muted the television. She went to the table next to the door and grabbed the gun her dad had left for her there. She looked through the peephole and saw a man she didn’t recognize. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, so he wasn’t from the pizza place. This man was dark haired, with a carefully trimmed beard.

     Kat took a steadying breath and held the gun to the door. “Who is it,” she called.

     “Hi, Katherine. I’m your dad’s friend, John. Can you let us in?”

     Kat looked through the peephole again and could see two kids around her age hiding behind their dad. One had lighter, short cropped hair and was tall. The other had long, dark hair and looked nervous, hiding between the man and the taller boy.  

     Kat frowned. “If you are Mr. John, what are my siblings’ names and what's my dad’s nickname for me?”

     “Step, full, or both?” He paused before carrying on, “Screw it. Your oldest sister is Lyra. Then there is Gary.” He ticked them off, counting on his fingers. “Next came you. After you, your mother left and married Michael, who brought with him two little girls named Kelly and Terra. Your dad has always called you Alley Kat because you're like him and love to wander.” He grinned into the peephole, “Do I pass?”

     Kat sighed and opened the door for Mr. John. “Sorry, Dad told me to be sure.”

     John smirked at her, ruffling her hair as he and the boys passed. “It’s okay, Little Kat. I do the same with my kids.” John chuckled when he saw her holding a gun.

     “You know how to shoot one of those as well as your dad claims?”

     “Yes, sir. I’ve been shooting since I was five.” John looked shocked. “Only with Dad supervising. I couldn’t go shooting without him until I was eight. I was able to hit the center target in a tight grouping at eight.”

     John laughed outright, the boys looking shocked. “I can see that your father has taught you well. Speaking of Don, where is he?”

     “Right behind you, John,” Donald chuckled when he walked through the door. “I see you forgot to shut the door, Kat. You know what that means.” He kicked the door shut and John locked it.

     Kat groaned, “Yes, sir. But do I have to do it now?” She leaned in and hissed, “We have guests, Dad!”

     “Yes, young lady! You break a rule with me, and you get a punishment. You break them as a hunter, and you could die.”

     Kat sighed and went to a far corner. She sat on the floor and started doing sit-ups, counting out loud each full sit up as John and his boys watched in curiosity. When Kat finished her twenty sit-ups, twenty push-ups, and twenty squats, he stood to see her dad putting away the beer and snacks he had bought. Donald came back into the room and handed her water.

     “You’re making quick work of twenty. Might have to up that to thirty soon. Katherine, this is John Winchester. These are his boys. The taller one is Dean. He’s the oldest, about two years older than you. And that is Sam. He’s about two years younger than you. Though, looking at the boys, I might have to start calling Sam the taller one in another year or two,” Don joked.

     John laughed and put his hands on his boys’ shoulders. “You’re damn right, Don. Sam here is growing like a weed these last couple months.”

    There was another knock at the door, both Don and John pulling out guns and aiming at the door. Kat sighed and grabbed the boys’ arms. She tugged and pulled them back against the far wall. The boys looked at her, Dean visibly angry at the girl holding him against the wall and Sam terrified. Dean jerked his arm out of her hold.

     Kat groaned and whispered, “Always stay out of range of firearms. Sam, it’ll be okay. They are just protective.”

     Dean growled under his breath, “Don’t try to teach me, little girl, and don’t talk to my brother.”

     Kat rolled her eyes, “Whatever, Dean. I was just being nice.”

     The fathers had figured out it was the delivery woman by the time Kat and Dean had stopped having a glaring war. Kat went over and grabbed the pizzas while Dean took the sodas and followed her into the suite’s kitchen. Kat placed the pizzas on the counter and tried to reach the cups on top of the fridge. When she couldn’t reach, she grumbled under her breath and looked around, Dean laughing at her.

     “Dean, will you at least help me get the cups down?”

     Dean snorted, “Nope, you’re on your own, Short Stuff.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

     Kat blew her raven hair out of her eyes and glared. “Fine,” she said and looked around again. She chuckled when she realized how to get the cups. _This’ll be fun._

     She climbed onto the counter closest to the fridge and took a couple of steps back. She jogged forward and jumped, twisting her body to snatch the cups off of the refrigerator without hurting herself. She landed in a crouch on the floor, panting. She pushed her ebony hair out of her face and smiled triumphantly at Dean.

     Dean looked shocked for a second, then glared at her. “You got lucky.”

     Kat laughed, “No need for luck when you’re just this good!”

     “Katherine! Stop being boastful,” her dad scolded as he walked into the room.

     John laughed, “I don’t know, Don. She might have a point there. That was a pretty skilled jump. She got the cups and didn’t bash herself into the fridge. I don’t know that either of my boys could do it at her age.”

     Dean glared at his feet, making Kat’s stomach churn with guilt.  _No more showing off_ , she promised herself. Instead, she went over to the pizza boxes and grabbed two slices for herself, two for Sam, and two for Dean. She handed Dean his plate before taking Sam and hers into the living room.

     Kat and Dean made their way into the living room; Sam was laying on his stomach in the middle of the floor watching T.V. Kat popped his plate in front of him and moved to sit close by the younger Winchester. Dean sat on the other side of Sam, quickly devouring one of his slices of pizza. The fathers stayed in the kitchen, immediately launching into a conversation about John's most recent hunt.

     “So how old are you,” Dean asked.

     “Turned thirteen in November, you?”

     “Turned sixteen in January. Sam’s eleven. His birthday isn’t until May.” Sam smiled at Kat and waved, before turning back to the television.

     “Hi, Sam.” Kat ruffled the kid’s hair, and he smiled at her again. “It’s nice to meet you too, Dean,” Kat murmured as she leaned back on the couch.

     The kids watched TV in the living room, occasionally talking about school or hobbies. The dads remained in the kitchen, talking about things they didn’t want the kids to hear and sometimes peeking in on the children. Dean and Kat took turns getting drinks and snacks from the kitchen. 

     After a little while, Kat heard the sounds of a hushed argument coming from the kitchen. She leaned further into the couch and noticed Dean was doing the same.

     “Don, you can’t be serious. She’s a kid. Even if you wait a year, she’s still too young to go into the field!”

     “I know she’s young, John, but she’s a natural. I wouldn’t take her on tough cases, just simple salt and burns to get her feet wet.”

     “You know there is nothing simple about our lives. If something can go wrong, it will.”

     “I think she’s ready. I think she can handle it.”

     “You’re a damn fool, Don. I just hope you don’t get that little girl of yours killed.”

     John took the boys and left after that, never coming back. Her dad let her stay the next two days in the suite with him before they checked out to go back home. 

     The day after they returned home, her dad took her to a friend’s house and let her get her first tattoo. He made her promise to keep it a secret from the rest of the family. Her dad picked the design, and she got to choose the placement. It wasn’t until later that she found out that the design on her ribcage was an anti-possession charm.

     She went on her first hunt with Don three months later. It was a salt-and-burn case with children being affected by an angry spirit. Kat spent the night comforting the kids in the house while her dad found the bones under the floorboards. 

     When her dad was thrown across the room, Kat had crawled to the bones her dad had already salted and gassed and drop his fallen lighter onto them. Her dad helped her get the kids out of the house safely. That night they celebrated her first successful hunt with beer for Don and a virgin daiquiri for Kat.

     On Kat’s sixth hunt, things went wrong. It wasn’t the first time things had gone wrong on one of their hunts, but this time things ended horribly. Kat and her dad thought the case was a simple salt-and-burn again. They found the bones, salted, and burned them. They thought they had finished the job, so they started packing up. 

     Then Don had heard about another death, another victim of what they had thought was the evil entity they should have stopped. The two went back on the case, rushing the job. Don had to take Kat back to Bernice in three days, and it would take a day to drive back to Peoria, Illinois. When they found who they thought would be the next victim, they staked out the house. The creature killing people turned out to be a shapeshifter, taking on a former victim's shape. Kat shot the shifter with a silver bullet in the heart, but her father was killed before she could make the shot.

     Don’s friend, Bobby, came and got Kat. He packed up everything of her father’s and drove Kat home to Bernice. Kat’s mother was furious to find out she had been hunting and refused to allow Kat to talk to the hunters she had met or let Kat out of the house without one of her siblings tagging along.

     On her eighteenth birthday, Kat packed up what little belongings she needed, got into her ex-boyfriend's abandoned truck, and left her hometown behind. She drove straight to Bobby’s house to pick up the things Bobby had saved for her from her dad’s hunting gear and home. Bobby helped her to relearn the information she needed to hunt again, and Kat helped Bobby and his friend’s with research and hunts. Eventually, Kat was able to solo hunt. Whenever a problem arose, Kat would call on her fellow hunters for help and guidance.

     The day before she left on her sixth solo hunt, Bobby gave Kat the keys to her father’s black 1967 Cadillac DeVille, fully restored and just as beautiful as she remembered it. She cried when she saw it and hugged Bobby fiercely. Her sixth hunt went just about perfectly, and Kat celebrated in her dad’s Caddie with a beer Bobby had hidden for her and a virgin daiquiri. That night she chose a name for her car, Black Beauty.


	3. Rescue

     Katherine awoke from her memories to a sharp pain in her chest. One of the vampires was staring up at her, his teeth deep in her flesh. He was a tall male with long black hair and muddy brown eyes. His presence sent chills through her body. Sometimes, this male liked to hit after feeding. Sometimes, he wanted to touch her in other ways. Her body was ragged, and she was barely holding on as she worried her lip over what awaited her after he had his fill.

     The male finished, licking his lips and giving her an evil grin. He circled Katherine, running his hands over her body before stopping to smack her ass and grope her thigh. 

     The vampire leaned into her, whispering, “I’ve got you all to myself. I’m going to enjoy every scream I can wrench from you, Hunter.” 

     He was so distracted by his imaginings, that he didn’t hear the noises in the other room. Kat struggled to stay still as the man continued to hit her, the sounds in the next room getting louder. 

     Yelling, hisses, and grunts were filtering in, the sounds of a fight in progress. When Katherine heard thuds, she knew what was happening, the noises of bodies hitting the floor unmistakable to her. Kat had listened to those sounds before, been in the thick of it as the battle raged. She held her breath as she hoped for the first time since her kidnapping that this was the rescue she needed. 

     The vampire in the room with her had finally noticed the noises finally. He stood next to Kat, waiting for the hunters to find them, his hands searching the table next to them for a weapon.

    The door in front of them flew open, Estelle running in. Three hunters followed close behind her, machetes in hand. Blood dripped from the weapons onto the concrete floor as Kat recognized one of the hunters as her friend, Nicole. Nicole’s short auburn hair and bright blue eyes were a welcome sight after being kept for so long. The two hunters that came in after her friend seemed vaguely familiar to her, but she gave up on trying to place them as they tore across the room.

     Kat watched the three with a mix of happiness and wariness as the hunters fought to free her. While it was three against two in this room, Kat could still hear fighting in the main room. One of the men with Nicky, a tall brunette with shaggy hair, decapitated Estelle quickly. Nicky scanned the room before she came running over to Kat, the shaggy-haired brunette following behind.

     “Kat! Oh, Kat. We found you.” She unhooked Kat’s IV and set to work on her ties, removing her gag and cutting her feet free. “Hey, can you hold her up while I cut her hands free?” 

     The man nodded and slid his arms around Kat. Kat tried not to whimper or scream. Not only did it hurt physically to be touched, but mentally, she was crying to be left alone. She wriggled in his grasp, trying to force him to let go. 

     “Whoa! Kat, it’s okay. He won’t hurt you!” 

     “Get her down and get her out of here,” the other man yelled, still fighting off the male vampire. 

     His machete swung around as the monster dipped and lunged. This hunter was shorter than the other but still taller than Kat’s five feet eight inches. His hair was a lighter shade of brown than the other hunter, the color almost dirty blonde. 

     Her brain was foggy as she tried to register all the movement around her. Nicky let out a cheer as she finally got Kat cut down and Shaggy Hair held her up. He tried settling her on her feet, but Kat' legs couldn’t support her weight. Her knees buckled, Shaggy catching her just in time.

     The light haired hunter was still fighting with the male vampire across the room. They were trading blows, the hunter’s weapon on the floor. Nicole pulled her machete and ran over to help him. They were cornering the vampire as Shaggy tried to help Kat walk out. Kat’s legs were too unstable though, and they were making little to no progress. Kat heard a sound from the corner the hunters were in, and when she looked, she saw the male vampire’s body fall, his head rolling across the floor.

     “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to carry you,” The man whispered, his hazel green eyes like a puppy’s. Kat nodded, and the man picked her up. “I’ve got her. Let’s get out of here,” he yelled to the other hunters.

     Shaggy turned and ran from the room, his hands tight on her back and knees. Kat tucked her head under his chin and tried not to scream from the pain wracking her body with each step he took. She got some peace from the pain eventually, passing out before the man carrying her could even get her out of the building.


	4. Awake

    Kat could hear hushed voices from the area by her toes. She was too tired and sore to open her eyes, so instead, she laid there and listened, trying to discern what was said and who was saying it. 

    “She still hasn’t woken up. Shouldn’t she be awake by now?” That panicked voice, Kat knew. Nicole was likely chewing on her nails or randomly running her fingers through her short hair. Nicky was usually really calm, so Kat knew she must look just as bad as she felt. 

    “She’ll wake up,” Kat didn’t recognize this deep, gravelly voice. It was male, but she wasn’t sure which of the men she had seen in the vamp nest it was. The man continued, “I didn’t almost get my arm bitten off for nothing.” 

    “What my brother means to say is, we’ve had similar cases before, and the people held were able to regain consciousness. Though, none had been held as long as her or sustained quite as much damage.” Kat recognized Shaggy's calm voice from when he was helping Nicole cut her down. _So Shaggy and Arm Boy are brothers._ Kat thought, fighting a losing battle with her eyelids. 

    “Well, can’t he do anything? She's been out for two days!” Nicky sounded frustrated. 

    “Castiel could try to heal her with his grace, but there’s no guarantee,” Shaggy sighed. “He also needs to save some in case of emergency.” 

     G- _Grace? As in Angel? Wait! I’ve been out for two days?_ Kat panicked. 

    “I plan on trying,” a new gruff voice added. The timbre was certainly male, and closer to Kat, coming from beside her. “But I thought you should know; she is awake now. I can see her toes and fingers moving.” 

    “Kat,” Nicky yelled, and Kat could hear her footsteps rushing over to the bed. “Oh, Kat! Are you awake?” Kat groaned. “Oh my goodness! You are awake! Oh, Kat! I’m so sorry I wasn’t there sooner. I was waiting for the other hunters.” 

    “It… It’s okay.” Kat choked out, her throat dry and sore. “W-Water?” 

    Kat could hear someone approaching, “Here," Shaggy murmured and she could feel a straw against her lips. She took a long drink, sighing at the feeling of ice cold water on her aching throat. 

    “Thank you, Shaggy,” Kat sighed. “That really hits the spot," her voice still hoarse, but easier to use. 

    “Shaggy?” He laughed, and Kat could hear the glass being put down. 

    “I don’t know your name, but I know it’s you from the nest. The one with shaggy brown hair that helped Nicky get me out.” Kat tried opening her eyes, but the light stung her sensitive corneas. “Hey, Arm Boy! Can you shut the lights off? My eyes aren’t used to this.” 

    “Arm Boy? Why, Arm Boy,” Nicky giggled. 

    “He was bitching about his arm being almost bitten off. Kind of insensitive when I’m laying here like this,” Kat chuckled, wincing at the pain it left in her throat and ribs. 

    “Sorry about him,” Shaggy groaned. 

    “Hey! I didn’t know she was awake and could hear me,” Arm Boy said.  

     Kat could hear someone moving around, the sound of a light switch flipping and curtains being drawn. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away sleep and some pain from the light in the bathroom. 

    Kat could see four people sitting by her. Nicole, Shaggy, and Arm Boy, she recognized. The other man must have been Castiel. Kat couldn’t remember seeing him in the nest, but she also couldn’t remember leaving the nest.  

     Castiel was shorter than the brothers with short black hair. He looked like he was wearing an oversized tan trench coat and suit and was seated on an office chair by her bed. His brilliant blue eyes flitted over her, finally locking onto hers. She gave him a small smile before turning to Nicky. 

    “How long was I kept?” Kat whispered. 

    Everyone fidgeted a little bit. Nicky finally whispered, while rubbing her hand over her hair, “Seventeen days.” 

    Kat groaned, “I thought it was only fourteen. Why did they keep me alive so long?” 

    Shaggy sighed, his hand combing through his long hair, “From what we know, they were arguing over whether to turn you or not. It sounded like some of them thought it would be funny after how many vampires have died to hunters. The others didn’t like the idea. They thought you would have gone crazy and killed them anyway.” 

    “The second group wasn’t wrong. Thank you all for getting me out of there,” Kat whispered, eyes stinging with tears. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you.” 

    “How about a beer and a virgin daiquiri once you get better,” Nicky smiled. 

    “I don’t know about that virgin daiquiri crap, but the beer is a hell yeah.” Arm Boy came to stand beside his brother, his elbow nudging the taller man's ribs. 

    “I’ll take his daiquiri,” Castiel and Shaggy chimed in. 

    “Well, Shaggy and Castiel will have to fight over Arm Boy’s daiquiri, I suppose,” laughed Kat. 

     “Wait, You know my name and not theirs?” Castiel tilted his head to the side, his eyebrows knitting together. 

    “Well, Shaggy said your name. No one has said theirs,” Kat groaned, trying to sit up. 

    “Whoa,” Shaggy called and came to the side of her bed, gently helping her sit up as Nicky placed pillows behind her. “Take it easy, Kat. We don’t want you to reopen any of your wounds.” 

    “Hey, Winchesters. Why don’t you go to the store and find Kat something to eat and drink other than water? Castiel can stay and help me with her.” The guys nodded at Nicky and made their way out of the front door. 

    Kat frowned, “Winchesters? Like John Winchester?” 

    Nicky nodded as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Yup. They’re his sons.” 

    “No wonder they looked vaguely familiar. I haven’t seen Sam and Dean since I was thirteen and that was only once.” 

    “Well, they're all grown up now, and they’re hunters like their dad was. They are also heartbreakers. Woo girl, I can’t tell you how hard I’ve had it. I just want to climb Sam like a tree, except, ya know, Eric.” 

    Castiel cocked his head to one side, “Sam isn’t a tree. He’s a man. Why would you want to climb him?”  

    “Oh Cas,” Nicky giggled. “What I meant was...” 

    Kat interrupted, chuckling. “You know what, let’s not explain what that means to the angel.” 

    Her friend swallowed, “Yeah. Probably not.”


	5. Healing

    Castiel sat on the edge of Kat’s bed and softly touched her forehead. Kat blinked, and suddenly all the pain was gone, her breathing becoming more comfortable, her ribs complaints silencing, and her nose feeling straighter. Kat smiled and touched Castiel’s hand. 

    “Thank you, Castiel. I feel so much better.” 

    “I was able to heal the worst of it, but there are still minor wounds. You also have a number of scars. I can’t heal those.” 

    Kat looked down and picked at the blankets covering her. “Yeah, I’m used to having the scars. Nothing new there. But thank you again.” 

    “You’re welcome. May I ask, how did you get the scars?” 

    Kat sighed and smoothed the blanket. “Kind of a long story, but my mother wasn’t a very kind woman. Other scars are from an ex who had a mean streak worse than my mother’s.” Kat looked him in the eyes. “So scars are nothing new to me, Castiel. Physical, Emotional, whatever. I’m used to them.” 

    Castiel frowned, “I could remove the memories.” 

    Kat thought about it. “No, I don’t think that's a good idea. My memories are important to me, good and bad. They remind me that I am a survivor, I guess.” 

    Nicky walked into the motel room, coming to a halt as she saw Kat fidgeting with the blanket. “Oh! Did I interrupt something?” 

    Kat smiled at her, “No, just telling Cas about my scars.” 

    “I swear, Kat. If I ever meet up with Alan, I’m going to hurt him so bad.” 

   Kat shrugged. “I’m not worried about him anymore. Can’t be worse than vampires.” The other woman groaned. “Nicky, Castiel, I’m going to take a shower. I need to feel like I didn’t just get pulled out of a vamp nest.” 

    Nicole giggled. “Well, don’t forget your phone and speaker. I know how much you hate showers without music.” She held up the bag Kat used on hunts. 

    “Oh my fuck! You found my go bag!” Kat climbed out of bed, her body only slightly sore as she grabbed the bag out of Nicky’s hands. Rifling through the bag, Kat pulled out her phone and Bluetooth speaker. “I could seriously kiss you.” 

    “Oh, baby! And yes, we found your go bag at the motel you checked into before going to the cabin. If you look outside, you’ll see something else I found.” 

    Kat stuffed her phone and speaker back into the bag, running across the room and throwing open the blinds. Her dad’s black Caddie was parked next to someone’s black ’67 Chevy Impala. Kat squealed and ran to hug Nicky. 

    “Thank you so much for bringing her!” 

    Nicky hugged Kat back, “You’re welcome, Sweetie. I didn’t want it to get towed, and I found the keys in the motel room. Sam drove it here once we found out where you were. Now, go take a shower before you go check it over.”

    Kat nodded and grabbed her go bag, smiling at Castiel before closing the door to the bathroom. Once inside, Kat drew a deep breath and leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes, she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. Her physical wounds had mostly healed, but her mind still remembered everything from her capture, the memories pouring through her in a painful tidal wave. 

    Kat groaned inwardly and stepped away from the door. She reached into the shower and turned it on before pulling off the oversized shirt she had on as well as her shorts and panties. She tested the stream of water coming from the shower, adjusted the temperature, and grabbed her phone. Katherine found her music app and powered on her speaker, pressing the play button on the speaker and affixing it to the wall of the shower before stepping into the water. 

    Kat laughed when the first song began. It was exactly what she needed to hear. Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” was the song her dad played when he was thinking. He would grab his guitar and play until the idea came to him or until he gave up. He always joked that Kat and him were two cowboys on the road together. Kat leaned her head against the wall as Bon Jovi sang. 

_“It’s all the same; only the names will change._

_Every day, it seems we’re wasting away._

_Another place where the faces are so cold._

_I drive all night just to get back home.”_  

    Kat pulled away from the wall and soaked her hair under the water before grabbing the motel’s shampoo and conditioner. Washing, she let her mind wander to life on the road with her dad. Don always made the trips so special. He always had his guitar, and he would beg for Kat to sing along. He used to say she had the voice of an angel. She felt like she sounded like a howling cat. Every night, her dad would play, and she would sing. Somehow, it was always 80’s rock. Sometimes he play something from the 90’s, but rarely. Dad had a thing for Def Leppard, AC/DC, and Bon Jovi. The bands had become ritual for Katherine whenever she needed to feel grounded again. 

    As Kat was finishing up her hair, the song switched, and Kat started singing. She needed to sing, loud and shamelessly to try to drown out the memories attempting to fore their way to the forefront of her mind.  Nicky had heard her sing before and Castiel had probably heard far worse, so she didn't worry about being overheard. 

    Kat laughed and sang her way through song after song, remembering her dad and her singing them in other motel rooms so many years ago.  

     Kat’s breath hitched as the memories turned sour. Once started, she couldn’t stop her tears from falling anymore. _I’m so sorry, Dad_. _I’m a terrible hunter. I got you killed; I almost got myself killed. Again._ Kat crumbled under the flow of water, sobbing even harder.  _How could someone who came from a family of hunters turn out to be so terrible?_ Kat groaned and sat down on the floor of the shower, curling into a ball.  

_“Wherever you go, whatever you do,_

_I’ll be right here waiting for you._

_Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks,_

_I will be right here waiting for you.”_  

    Kat stood and smiled as she listened to the new song. She knew logically that it couldn’t be a sign from her dad, but she pretended it was as she started cleaning off her body, jumping out of the shower to grab her razor out of her go bag, before switching the song to The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” She rinsed the suds off her body and shaved, using the music to fuel her motions. 

    She rinsed her legs and turned the shower off. Grabbing a towel, Kat dried off and grabbed a bottle of lotion out of her bag. She rubbed lotion into her skin, belting out Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.” She dressed and grabbed her speaker, phone, and bag before taking a deep breath, making sure her bravado was in place before opening the door. She started to sing “Cherry Bomb” by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts as she came out of the bathroom drying her hair. 

    As she stepped out, she heard laughing and clapping. Kat pulled the towel off of her head and smiled. Everyone but Castiel was sitting at the small table in the room watching her. Cas was nowhere to be seen as she decided to give them a show, Kat swiveling her hips to the beat of the song while singing even louder. 

“ _Hey street boy, what’s on style?_

_Your dead end dreams don’t make you smile._

_I’ll give ya something to live for!_

_Have ya, grab ya, ‘til you’re sore!_

_Hello Daddy! Hello Mom!_

_I’m your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch_

_Cherry Bomb!_

_Hello world, I’m your wild girl!_

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch_

_Cherry Bomb_!” 

    The song ended, and Kat turned off the music and speaker. Sam looked at Dean, “I’ll take her singing over yours any day!” 

    “Yeah, you’re not the greatest singer either, Sammy.” 

    Nicky and Kat were laughing at the Winchesters when Nicky’s phone went off. “Oh! That’ll be Eric. Be back in a second.” She quickly ran out the door to talk to her boyfriend privately. 

    Kat sat at the table after throwing her towel into the bathroom. “Hey, guys. Sorry I didn’t remember you. It’s been a damn long time since I saw you last.” 

    Sam looked confused, but Dean shrugged, “Here’s your food and drink.” He slid a bag and an iced tea across the table. “I keep thinking that I know you from somewhere. I can’t remember where though.” 

    Sam put his face in his hands and groaned, “Please tell me you aren’t some girl he had sex with and now doesn’t remember.” 

    Dean hit his brother’s arm. “Dude! Not cool.” He looked at her, whispering, “That’s not it, right?” 

    Kat chuckled and dug through the bag of food, finding a couple burgers and fries. She opened a burger and, taking a bite before she explained.  

     “You met my dad, Donald Gunner, and I a long time ago. We were staying in a huge hotel suite for my thirteenth birthday, and Dad invited you two and your dad over for pizza, drinks, and snacks. He thought it would be nice for all of us to meet other hunters’ kids. But your dad and mine fought that night, and you guys left and never came back.” 

    Dean looked shocked, “Wait; I remember that. You’re that little girl that was being trained to hunt from a young age. Dad was pissed when he found out that Donald was going to take you in the field. Thought you’d die on your first hunt.” 

    Kat sighed and looked at her burger. “I wasn’t that little, and no, I lived through my first hunt, obviously. Dad and I successfully did five, before…” Kat cut off herself there. 

     “I heard your dad died on a hunt. A shifter got him. So you were with him?” Dean looked at Kat; concern etched on his face. 

    “Yeah. I tried to save him, but the shifter was so fast, and I couldn’t get a clean shot before it had… Before it killed him.”

    “Damn. That’s rough, Kat,” Dean murmured and hung his head. “But you were only what, thirteen? I would have pissed myself at that age.” 

    “I was fourteen by then. I had to call my dad’s friend Bobby Singer to come and get me. I don’t actually remember much after I shot the shifter and crawled back into Dad’s car. But Bobby says I called, so I probably called.” Kat shrugged and looked Dean in the eyes as he nodded. 

    Sam looked between Dean and Kat, frowning. “We know Bobby. He was here when we got you out of that nest. I remember that night though. We watched TV and ate a bunch of junk food. I thought that was an apartment?” 

    Kat and Dean laughed. “No,” Kat said. “It was a three room suite. I wish Bobby would have stayed. Would have liked to see him. Hey, where did Castiel go?” 

    Dean shrugged, “He comes and goes. You get used to it. He did say that you need to be watched for the next couple days while some of the lesser wounds heal.” 

    Kat nodded, “Where are we? Last I knew, I was in a cabin in Montana.” 

    “We’re in South Dakota,” answered Sam. “Just outside of Rapid City and about four hours from Bobby’s.” 

    “Oh! I live in Illinois. I'll have a long drive home. Nicole is living in Washington with Eric. Maybe I can convince her to stay and hang out with me here. Her boyfriend should be okay with it.” 

    Sam shrugged, “If not, I’m sure we can keep an eye on you until you’re healed over.” He looked at Dean who also shrugged. 

    “Well, we’ll talk more about it when Nicky is done talking to Eric. I want to go outside and look over Beauty.” Kat got up and rifled through her bag. “Now if only I knew what Nicky did with the keys.” 

    Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out Black Beauty’s keys. “You mean the car outside? I drove it over here since Nicky had her car and Dean has his Impala.” 

    “The black Cadillac?” Sam nodded. “Yeah, that’s my Beauty. She was my dad’s first, but Bobby finished restoring her when my dad died and gave her to me after I started hunting again.” 

    “What is it with you two?” Sam looked between Kat and Dean. “You both name your cars.” 

    Kat laughed, “So? I have Cherry Bomb, Black Beauty, and Cheshire, among others. My cars are my babies.” 

    Dean grinned, “Hey, just because you can’t understand the love we have for our cars, doesn’t mean you need to act all high and mighty.” 

    Sam handed Kat the keys. “Forget I said anything. I filled it’s tank so you should be good for a little bit.” 

    “I’ll pay you back when I get the chance.” 

    Sam shook his head, “Don’t worry about it.”


	6. Drive

    Kat and Dean had spent a long time outside talking about their cars. She had taken him on a drive in Beauty, listening to him talk about his car, Baby. With Dean in the car, Kat never felt the urge to turn on music, enjoying their conversation instead. 

    When they got back to the motel, Dean walked her over to his Impala, and they decided to drive it too. “Just to let you see what I meant about how nice Baby drives,” Dean had said. They went the same route Kat had taken. Dean turned off his music so that they could talk. Eventually, they got on the subject of their favorite music. 

    “What do you mean you don’t listen to modern music?” Kat laughed, staring at him in shock. “There is so much amazing music out there!” 

    “I like what I like, Kat,” Dean grumbled, pulling into the motel parking lot again. “Just like you won’t catch me watching those damn chick flicks Sam likes.”

    Kat gasped, “Oh, nuh uh! Don’t go ragging on chick flicks! Next, you’re going to tell me you don’t go to bars!” 

    He laughed, “I don’t know what they have in common, but I love bars!” 

    “Where do all the best love stories begin? In a bar!” 

    “Wait. What movie has a love story that begins in a bar?” 

    “Good Will Hunting!” 

    “Does that really count?” 

    “Look, you have your reasons for going to bars, Good Will Hunting is mine. Well, that and to dance.” 

    Dean chuckled, “Not to drink?” 

    “That is an added benefit!” 

    Kat and Dean got out of the Impala and went into the motel room Kat and Nicky were sharing. Sam and Nicky were sitting at the table, with their heads together. Nicky had tears on her cheeks, and Sam was rubbing small circles into the woman's back.

    Kat walked over and put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “What happened, Babe?” 

     Nicky wailed and shoved her head into Kat’s stomach, pushing her off balance. Dean grabbed Kat’s shoulder to steady her as Kat cooed to her friend and ran her fingers through her hair. Kat looked at Sam and raised an eyebrow, the youngest Winchester shrugging and removing his hand from Nicky's back. Kat smiled a thank you to Dean, who gave her a small smile before sitting beside his brother. After a couple of minutes, Kat’s shirt was soaked, but Nicky seemed to be calming down. 

    “Nicole, Babe. What happened?” Kat stepped back and pulled over a chair. Sitting on it backward, she crossed her arms over the backrest. 

    “It’s Eric. He says that I need to get home. I’ve been gone for a month, and he is so upset that I haven’t called him since before we found you. I told him that it’s been rough and I filled him in on everything. He just…” Nicky sniffled. 

    “He just doesn’t get it, huh,” Kat guessed, and Nicky hung her head. “Oh, babe. How could he? We chose this life! Eric is dating into it. He can’t understand how hard it is for us. How hard the cases can be. But you know how hard it is for him.” Nicky nodded and wiped her eyes. “Go home to Eric. Talk to him, hold him. Hell! Fuck his brains out until he remembers why he doesn’t want you to leave!” Nicky giggled, then hiccupped while the brothers chuckled. “Look, tell me if I’m wrong, but you love this guy, right?” Nicky's head bobbed again. “So GO to him!” 

    “Okay,” Nicky got up quickly and grabbed her luggage, stopping by the door. “Wait. What about you? How will you get home?” 

    “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got these two gentlemen and an angel who can keep me company until I’m healed. Just promise me two things.” 

    “Anything,” replied Nicky. 

    “Come have a beer and virgin daiquiri with me when you come up for air. Hell, bring Eric with you!” 

    “Done,” her friend giggled. 

     “And two. Have at least one orgasm for me.” Kat joked. 

    “I don’t know that you would want me to prove that one, but I hope I do.” Nicky pulled Kat up and into a hug. She whispered in Kat’s ear, “But you have to kiss one of these guys before I come to see you!” 

    Kat laughed. “I don’t know if I can do that. But I might give it a try, for you.” 

    Nicky gave a wet giggle and threw her bag over her shoulder. She waved goodbye to the guys before walking out of the door. Kat sighed when she heard Nicky’s car start and pull away. Kat sent a silent prayer up that Nicky could repair the damage. She knew from stories that hunters and relationships were not happy bedfellows.


	7. Friendly

   With Nicky gone, Kat, the brothers, and Castiel tried to get into a rhythm. Dean went off to check the supplies for himself and Sam. Kat and Sam sat in the room that Katherine was now staying in alone. Kat wasn’t looking forward to sleeping alone in the room, but Sam had taken time to explain that the brothers were in an adjoining room and showed her the doorway behind a curtain on the wall. Kat was still uneasy. She barely knew the Winchesters and didn’t know if she would be comfortable asking them for help. 

   Kat decided to check the messages on her phone while Sam checked his laptop. Most were just friends and hunters checking on her. She replied to them all a general message that she was better now and would explain later. She didn’t feel like going through the whole story yet. She didn’t even want to think about it. 

   Several messages were from her friend and the co-owner of her bar, Liz. Elizabeth was a high school friend of Kat’s who had a child young, married a jerk, had another kid, divorced her husband after seven years of an unhappy marriage and her husband cheating. Now, she was remarried to a man that treated her like gold. Between the two of them, they had four kids with one more on the way. Liz and Kat always joked that Kat was the heart of the operations at the bar, Liz was the brains. When Kat left on hunts, she made sure to give a schedule and breakdown with Liz and the bar managers. 

   If Liz was messaging Kat, there was a problem. She never wanted to distract Kat from her hunts. She never called and messaged this much either. Kat excused herself from the room and went to sit in Beauty, calling Liz and waiting for her to pick up. 

   “Hello?” Liz’s voice was agitated. 

   “Hey, Liz. How’s it going?” 

   “How’s it going?! Where the hell have you been?” 

   “Well, Hell is an apt description,” Kat joked. When Liz groaned, Kat plowed on, “Look, I’m back. I’m here. What do you need?” 

   “I need my partner to come back. I need NOT have gone into labor while she was gone! I need these damn nurses to BRING ME MY SON!” Kat could hear a nurse yelp and a door shut. Liz took a deep breath, “Where ARE you, Kat?” 

   Kat chuckled, “Congrats, Mama. I’m in South Dakota, but I will see what I can do to get home as soon as possible. I wanted to stop at Uncle Bobby’s, but I think that can come later. Make sure to give my godson a huge hug and kiss for me until I can get home. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” 

   Liz sighed, and Kat could tell she was choking up when she said, “It was so scary, Kat. My water broke, and David rushed me to the hospital. They said I was too far gone for any meds. David told them I had a scheduled Caesarean because of my earlier ones, so they wheeled me back to surgery. When Sean was born, he didn’t cry. They had to clear his airway and rush him to the nursery with David trailing behind looking lost. Neither of us has had a baby that didn’t scream when they came out!” 

   “But he’s okay now, right?” 

   “Oh sure, but at that time I had no clue!” Kat laughed quietly, knowing Liz hated not being in control. It’s what made her a fantastic partner for the bar. 

   “I’m really sorry you had to go through that, Lizzie.” 

   “Well, I don’t know what you’ve been dealing with, but I know your friend Nicole called me to say you were in trouble and asked if I was capable of handling things for a while. Of course, that was before my water broke.” 

   “Yeah, there was an incident on this trip, and I needed a rescue. I’m okay now.” 

  Liz sighed, “You don’t sound fine.” 

   “No, but I will be.” 

   Liz chuckled, “Well, that makes two of us.”  

   Kat sniffled, “We really make an odd pair, don’t we?” 

   Liz hiccupped, “Yeah, but we keep each other sane-ish.” 

   “Is that what we are? I just thought we were batshit insane and the world had no clue what to do with us.” 

   “Well, yeah, but sane-ish sounds nicer,” Liz giggled. 

   “Liz, I’m a mess, and now I’m stuck with two guys I haven’t seen since I was thirteen and an angel. We’re staying at a motel in South Dakota until I heal a little bit more and I’m saying this to my business partner who just went into surprise labor.” 

   Liz perked up, “Wait. Are they hot? Nicole said they were hot.” 

   Kat groaned, “I mean, yeah. I guess. One brother more so than the other, but that doesn’t help me.” 

   “Woman! You are telling me your problems are so big that you haven’t thought about touching at least one of them inappropriately in the dark? Who are you? Was your trouble THAT big?” 

    Kat startled at the knock on her car window. Kat looked up to see Sam standing outside, Concern written all over his face as Kat realized the Impala was back.  

   Kat sighed, “Hold on, Liz. One of them is outside Beauty and wanting a word.” Liz giggled, and the rustling of bedsheets sounded over the speaker. 

   Kat rolled down her window, refraining from shaking her head at Liz. “Hey, Sam. What’s up?” 

   “Dean sent me. He said you looked upset. He didn’t mention you were still on the phone. Sorry.” 

   Kat shrugged, “It’s okay. I’m fine.” 

   Kat heard Liz scream over the line, “Bullshit, Bitch! Don’t lie to sexy men!” 

   Kat closed her eyes and groaned, “Can we pretend you didn’t hear my insane friend scream that?” 

   “I’ll head back in," Sam laughed and nodded. "Dean found some delicious food from a diner down the road. I know you didn’t eat much of your lunch.” 

   “I’ll be in in a minute.” Sam walked back to the room as Kat rolled up her window. “Woman! Not cool. I have to spend a couple more days with them still!” Liz was laughing hard now. “Be careful, Liz. You’re going to piss yourself.” 

   Liz gasped a breath, “Too late, bitch!” Kat burst into giggles. “Look, I gotta get these nurses to bring me my baby and help me get cleaned up now. Go keep those hotties company. Oh! And send me a picture of them! I need entertainment, woman. I just pissed myself!” 

   Kat agreed to send a picture before signing off. She checked her reflection in her mirror, brushing away the stray tears before getting out of her car and locking the door. She walked back into her room to see both guys sitting at the table eating and talking. When they heard the door click shut, they went silent. 

   “Are you okay, Kat?” Sam stood and crossed the room to put a hand on her shoulder. 

   “I’m fine, Sam. Thank you though.” 

   “Yeah, Sam. Let her sit down and eat. She’ll let us know if she needs anything. Right, Kat?” 

   “I will.” Kat squeezed Sam’s hand and walked over to the table settling down to eat. “What did you find to eat, Dean?” 

   “I got steak, mashed potatoes, and corn. For dessert, Cherry pie.” 

   “I’ll take everything but the pie.”

   “Wait, no pie?” Dean her a scandalized look. “How can you say no to pie?!” 

   “I’ve never really been a fan of most pies.” 

   “Whoa! Not a fan of pie? That exists?” 

   “Must, because that’s me.” 

   Dean kept staring at her like she’d grown a second head. Sam snorted when he noticed as he made Kat a plate and handed it to her with a fork. 

   “Don’t mind Dean. He has an obsession with pie.” Sitting back down, Sam kicked Dean underneath the table. “Dude, stop staring. She’s not going to change her mind because you’re staring at her.”


	8. Panic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning! Panic attacks and talk of past assault.

   That night, Kat passed out on her bed listening to the guys bicker. She woke up the next morning, struggling to breathe as she fought her bedsheets. She screamed and clawed at her blankets before Sam ran in, gun in hand. Upon seeing him, her memories resurfaced as to where Katherine was, and she was able to calm enough to speak again. She apologized to him, and to Dean when he came in moments later. 

   That day went by quickly. They talked a lot, mostly about easy stuff like what to eat and Bobby. Kat stayed sitting on her bed and watched television or messaged Nicky, the guys popping in to check on her. They all agreed that Kat needed rest that day, the next they would discuss plans for getting her home.  

   Kat was starting to feel better with the men. She couldn’t help but enjoy talking to Sam about anything. He was full of information, and they both loved to read forgotten tomes. She also liked talking to Dean, though they mostly talked cars or women. She tended to get distracted by Dean, though. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he had become over the years they hadn't seen each other. Castiel stopped in occasionally to check on the three of them, and Kat had fun joking with him. His innocent demeanor and stories about his long life kept her entertained while the brothers were busy. Kat enjoyed sitting with him and watching shows, peeking at him every so often when he would make small comments or just to stare at the handsome angel. 

   The brothers were getting ready to head to their room that night, Castiel having left already when the realization hit Kat that she was about to be alone again. She stood up from the table and busied herself by looking through her bag for pajamas. She heard them wish her a good night and she gave them a small wave as a rush of bile rose in her throat.  

   Kat stared at the floor as she tried to stave off the anxiety that hit her like a ton of bricks. Her vision started to go dark around the edges, and she turned her face away from the guys, hugging herself for comfort. She could hear Sam and Dean talking, but her brain couldn’t register their words over the sound of her mind running through the worst case scenarios. 

   She felt a large hand land on her shoulder and squeeze. She looked up with wild eyes to stare into Sam’s calm, hazel-green ones. She could see his mouth moving, and she struggled to hear him over the noise in her head. Her mind wouldn’t let her escape its playthrough as her knees started to shake. Closing her eyes, she felt her knees give until she was squatting on the floor. She heard her name and looked straight ahead, shaking her head as memories of her time with the vampires rushed back to her. 

    Katherine could hear the vampires as they hissed and bit her. Could feel the sharp pain of their fangs piercing her skin. Her mind had her seeing the room she was kept in, Smelling the dust, mold, and other stomach-churning scents she associated with her capture. She rubbed her wrists, feeling the old bindings tighten on them. 

   A pair of red-brown logger boots stepped in front of her. The legs in the faded, dark jeans bent down, the man inside squatting down until one knee touched the carpet. Kat looked up to a black work shirt covering a grey tee. Her breath felt like jagged glass as her breath came out in quick, uneven gasps. A hand reached out and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her into Dean’s chest as his other hand rubbed small circles on her back. Katherine settled her knees between Dean’s, laying the side of her face against his chest, and concentrated on controlling her breathing. 

   Her breathing started to slow, and she could hear Sam and Dean talking to her slowly. She released the hold she had on herself and let one of her hands rest on Dean’s knee while the other reached up to cover Sam’s hand. Katherine vaguely heard Sam ask if she were okay and she shook her head, focusing her mind on what she could, the feel of Dean’s pants under her hand and the warmth coming off of the guys as it seeped into her icy body. She could feel the rumble of Dean’s voice against her face. The sound of their voices as they talked helped to calm her some more, though she still couldn’t understand what they were saying. She turned to hide her face in Dean’s chest, trying to conceal her shame from the two men.

   With her face against his chest, Kat focused on the smells coming off of Dean. She could smell car grease on him and whiskey. She took a steady breath and caught the scents of gunpowder and leather. She could feel her muscles relaxing as her breath returned to normal. She sighed as the sound of their voices became clear, and she could finally understand what was said. 

   “Dean, should I call Nicole or her friend, Liz? Maybe they can help her.” 

   “No, she seems to be relaxing now. Just keep talking calmly, and she’ll come through.” 

   “What caused this though? She was laughing and joking with us most of the day.” 

   “I don’t know, Sammy. You saw how she woke up this morning, though. We’ll have to ask, but I won’t be surprised when she doesn’t want to talk.” 

   Kat took a deep breath and pushed away from Dean’s chest, swiping at the tears that had fallen from her eyes and noticing a large wet spot on Dean’s chest. She sat down and stared at her hands folded in her lap. _I can’t believe I just broke down like that. I’m supposed to be strong. With all the shit I’ve been through, I should be able to handle this!_  

   “Look, I’m sorry guys. I don’t know what came over me.” 

   Dean dropped his hands to her knees and squeezed them. “Shit happens, Kat. You okay now?” 

   “Yeah,” Kat nodded. “I’ll be fine. I must be getting tired.” 

   Sam squeezed her shoulder, “Well, why don’t we let you get ready for bed. If you need anything, we’re right next door.” 

   “Hey, Sammy. Why don’t you go out to Baby and grab the bags I left in the backseat. I’ll meet you in our room.” Kat didn’t see the look Sam gave Dean, but he must have done something because Dean huffed as he said, “I’ll be over in just a second. We’ll be fine.” 

   Kat cussed herself out in her head while Sam grabbed a couple of things off the table and went out the door to the parking lot. She kept staring at Dean’s hands on her knees as he gave them another squeeze. His hand slipped off her knee and a finger caught under her chin, gently forcing her to raise her face to Dean’s before he smiled at her. 

   “Look, I’ve been through some tough shit myself. I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but if you change your mind, Sam and I will listen. We have seen some rough stuff and won’t judge you. I know what a panic attack looks like. I've had a few myself, and so has my brother.” 

   Kat sighed, “I don’t know why, but the thought of being alone made me freak out.” Her eyes traveled down to the hand on her knees and Dean placed his hand on his thigh. “It’s stupid, but I realized I haven’t fallen asleep in a room alone since being taken from that place and suddenly… Suddenly, I felt like I was back there.” 

   Nodding, Dean rubbed his hand over his thigh. “I get that. But look, we aren’t really leaving you alone. We’re just in the adjoining room. If you need anything, come over or call.” He pulled her up to her feet, “I’ll make sure to leave our side unlocked so you can come talk to us if you need to tonight.” 

   Kat gave him a watery smile, “Yeah, I’ll leave mine unlocked, just in case.” 

   Dean gave her a small smile and Kat could see him swallow. “Well, I’m going to head over to our room. Night, Kat.” 

   “Goodnight, Dean. Thanks for helping me out.” 

   Dean nodded and opened the adjoining doors, stepping into his and Sam’s room before shutting the door with a small wave. Kat sighed and shut her side of the doors. She made her way over to her bed and opened her bag, closing her eyes a second to stave off another panic. Grabbing an oversized shirt and comfortable shorts, she walked to the bathroom to change before tucking herself into bed.


	9. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning! Panic attacks and talk of past sexual assault.

   Kat sat up in bed. Her breath was ragged as she tried to calm herself again. Her dreams of being back with the vampires ran through her mind, her ex, Alan, the cruel leader of the nest. Kat shivered in her bed and wrapped her arms around her middle, running a finger over a scar on her thigh. 

   She was snapped back from her memories when she heard her side of the doors open. Looking up, she saw Sam raise a hand as he quietly padded into the room. His hair was messy, and his shirt and sleep pants were wrinkled from sleep as he stopped by the table. 

   “Hey, Kat. You okay? I heard you yell.” 

   Groaning, Kat dropped her head into her hands. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I’m fine, just dealing with memories.” 

   Sam smiled and came over to sit on the edge of her bed. “Dean said you guys agreed to the leave the doors unlocked, in case something happened.” 

   Kat leaned against the headboard. “Yeah, I just didn’t think we’d need them unlocked. It’s stupid. The dream wasn’t even about the vampire’s nest this time. Well, it was, but mostly it was about my ex.” 

   He raised an eyebrow and scooted further on the bed, leaning his back against the footboard. They sat there for a minute, sitting on either side and ends of the bed. 

   “You can talk to me, Kat. I won’t judge you.” 

   “I know. Well, I know that’s what Dean said, that you two won’t judge me. It’s just that; I don’t talk to people about my past. My longtime friends know, and some of my siblings know. But I try not to burden others with my shit. 

   Sam shrugged, “I can understand that. But they aren’t here right now, and you need to talk. Dean and I will listen if you give us a chance.” 

   “It’s a long story.” Sam pulled a blanket over his legs, smiling softly. Kat sighed and leaned her head against the headboard, looking at the ceiling. “After my parent’s divorced, my siblings and I were forced to live with my mom, since Dad didn’t have a job he could claim in court. Mom… Mom was never a nice person, but after the divorce, she got so much crueler. I would get a beating for the tiniest of infractions. She had been a hunter, so she was good at inflicting maximum pain with little damage.” Kat closed her eyes. “I never knew if what I was doing was wrong until Mom yelled. The rules always changed.” 

   Sam got up and sat next to Kat, leaning against the headboard next to her and pressing his side against hers. “Sounds rough. Didn’t your dad do anything?” 

   Kat relaxed into Sam’s side, whispering, “I don’t know that he ever found out about it. I always hid my bruises from him. He had enough on his plate.” Kat chewed her lip. “No, I thought it was best not to burden him with that. The courts had decided that Mom was to have us. Dad wouldn’t have been able to do anything.” 

   “I’m sorry, Kat.” 

   Shrugging, she continued, “Before Dad died, Mom married Michael. Michael was verbally and mentally abusive. He never hit us. He left that to Mom. He was also an alcoholic, so his moods depended on how much beer he’d had. After Dad died, Mom and Mike continued much the same, but Mom was less worried about getting caught. I got used to dealing with them.” She sighed, “Mostly, I avoided them. It went well until I got my first boyfriend.” Kat stopped talking and stared at her toes, remembering her ex. 

   “What happened?” 

   “He wasn’t a nice person. I fell in love with someone that was my mother and stepfather rolled into one, except Alan ratcheted it up a level.” Sam wrapped an arm around Kat and rubbed his hand across her back. “At first, he was kind. I suppose most abusive people are. Otherwise, how would they get you to stay? But Alan, he was good at the con. He had me head over heels within a couple of months. That’s when the hitting started.” Kat opened her eyes and looked at Sam, “I’m not stupid, I wasn’t then either. I was just so gullible.” 

   Sam shook his head, “I don’t think you were stupid.” 

   “He always apologized. I don’t mean just a sorry. He would cry, beg me to forgive him, tell me how he would never do it again. He loved me. I was special to him.” Kat sighed, “He was good at the con, and I fell for it every time. But then…” Kat froze, staring at the scar on her thigh, peeking out from her shorts. 

   “You don’t have to continue, Kat.” 

   “I need to finish it. I-I’ve never told anyone else this next part though.” Sam raised an eyebrow at her. “Liz and Nicole know about most of this. But I’ve hidden a lot over the years, not wanting to scare people away. I figure, as hunters, we have seen some fucked up shit.” Kat looked at her hands in her lap, focusing on the many scars that littered her hands from her hunts. “But I can stop if you want.” 

   Sam nudged her head with his, looking across the room. “Keep going if you need to talk about it.” 

   Kat shrugged, “It’s not a big deal, I guess.” 

   “Why do you do that,” asked Sam. “Why do you assume Dean and I wouldn’t want to know you? The good, the bad, the boring. You are one of the few people we know from our childhoods that’s still alive. We want to know if you want to tell us.” 

   Kat fidgeted with her shirt. “You guys are some of the few I still know too.” 

   Kat leaned forward, crisscrossing her legs. “Alan was my first boyfriend, he hit me, yelled at me, treated me like garbage or like gold depending on his mood. But there was one thing he wasn’t getting from me.” Kat closed her eyes, preparing to tell the rest of the story. “He couldn’t get me to have sex with him, Sam. I was a virgin and didn't want to have sex with anyone that I didn't see a future with down the road. So, one day, about a month after he started trying to convince me, he decided he was sick of waiting. That day, my older sister dropped me off at his house so she could hang out with her friends. She was supposed to stay, but she didn’t want to, figuring it would be our secret. Alan brought me into his room and turned on a movie. He started kissing me. When he tried to take off my shirt, I told him no. I got up to leave, but Alan jumped off his bed and threw me into the wall. He punched me until I fell, kicked me when I was down, and pulled a knife from his dresser when I told him he needed to let me leave.” Sam’s hand stopped rubbing her back, flexing on her hip. Kat closed her eyes to try and prevent the tears from falling as she choked on the next words.

   “Kat, you need to continue.” Kat jumped at the sound of Dean’s voice. Looking up, she saw him leaning in the doorway. Kat shook her head, unable to form the words. “Please, tell us the rest,” Dean pushed. 

   Katherine took a deep breath as Dean came and sat on the edge of the bed by her feet. She looked back at her hands, continuing on a whisper, “Alan pulled the knife out of its sheath. He picked me up off the floor and threw me on the bed." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "He said, ‘I’ll do whatever I feel like,’ as he climbed on top of me and put the knife to my throat.” Kat tilted her head to the side, and Dean hissed when he saw the small scar there. “I don’t know if he meant to cut my neck. Sometimes, I think he did. Others, I think it was an accident. What I do know is, he… he raped me.” 

   Sam grumbled under his breath and started rubbing her back again. Dean’s jaw flexed as Kat kept talking, “When he was done, he got dressed and threw my clothes at me. I cried that I was done with him. He looked at me like I was a piece of shit or a bug that was annoying. He picked up his knife again and held me by my throat after kneeling on my legs. He laughed in my face and said, “That’s fine. I don’t need anything else from you. But you will never forget me.’ He took his knife and cut me.” Kat unfolded her legs and leaned back, showing them the scar that ran from her knee up under her shorts. “That’s who I dreamed about, Sam. I dreamed that Alan was the leader of the vampire nest and he was torturing me.” Kat gave a dry laugh, “Not too far off from the real him, except he was all too human.” 

   Sam gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, “What happened to Alan?” 

   “I never saw him again. I tried to file charges, but my mother told the cops I was lying, and I probably asked him to beat and cut me. I think her words were, ‘She’s a freak like that.’ The cops asked Alan and he, of course, said it was consensual. So my case was toast before it started. I dropped it, and he ended up raping another girl. She was able to prove it though, and he was thrown in jail.” 

   Dean growled, “Your mother lied to the cops? Why would she do that?” 

   Kat looked him in the eye, “My mother is not a good person. Sam and I talked about it but…” 

   Dean interrupted, “I heard. Sam didn’t shut the door when he came in after we heard you yell.” Kat looked at Sam, and he shrugged apologetically. “I still can’t understand how a mother can act like that to their child.” 

   “That makes two of us. Three if Sam agrees.” Sam's head bobbed in agreement. “Mom’s always been a little,” Kat stopped trying to find the right word. 

   “Crazy,” Asked Dean and Sam at the same time. 

   “I guess that would cover it,” Kat sniffed as she dried her face on her shirt. She sat straight, faking calm for the two men. “Anyway, I should let you guys get some sleep. I’ll just…” Kat broke off trying to think of something she could do that wouldn’t keep the boys up. Normally she would work out, but she did that to music, and she knew that would be too much noise. Kat sighed, “I’ll figure something out.” 

   Sam frowned. “I’m going to stay. You need company. If it makes you feel better, I’ll sleep in Nicky’s old bed.” 

   Dean grinned, a wicked glint in his eye. “Slumber Party?” He waggled his eyebrows and winked. 

   Kat laughed, nudging Sam with her shoulder. “But you two are sharing that bed, then.” 

   The two Winchesters laughed. “Wouldn’t be the first time I shared the bed with Gigantor,” Dean added. 

   Dean reached across the bed for the remote and turned on the TV. He flipped channels until he found old reruns of I Dream of Jeannie. “Perfect. Now lay back and enjoy the magic.” Kat grinned and did as she was told, Sam pulling the covers over her again. Sam stayed on the other side of the bed as Dean laid across the end, his ribs touching her feet. 

   After a couple of minutes, Kat groaned and sat up. She scooted closer to Sam and poked Dean in the side with her toes. “You, up here with us. Your head is in my way.” His eyebrow raised. “Come on, Dean. I want to be able to see too.” 

   Dean chuckled and grabbed a pillow off the other bed before sitting next to Kat. He put the pillow behind his back and leaned back on it, his arms crossed over his chest. Kat laid down again, grinning at the TV. 

   “Much better,” she sighed as she nestled under the blankets again, enjoying the warmth the two men were putting off.


	10. Moves

    Katherine woke up the next morning to the sound of snoring. She looked next to her, seeing Sam had moved to the other bed at some point in the night. She was laying where he sat most of the night, facing the wall. When she looked over her shoulder, Kat saw Dean sleeping peacefully behind her. He was laying on his stomach, his face towards her as he softly snored.Kat tried to roll over quietly, moving slowly so as not to wake the man next to her. His arm slid over and laid across her stomach as Kat smiled at him. 

    “Why are you smiling?” Dean’s voice was low and gravelly with sleep. 

    “Just trying to figure out how to boot you out of my bed,” she lied, grinning wickedly. 

    Dean grunted and rolled onto his back, stretching his arms over his head. “What time is it?” He looked at his watch and groaned, “It’s only nine in the morning.” 

    Katherine giggled, “Well, you were snoring. It woke me up.” 

    “I’m surprised Sam didn’t wake up if I was snoring.” 

    Kat propped herself up on her elbows and looked past Dean to where Sam was sleeping peacefully. “Nope. He’s knocked out still.” She laid on her back again, pulling the blankets over her stomach. “Must have been because you are closer to me right now.” He looked at her, a strange glint in his eye. “What?” 

    Dean shook his head and put an arm over his face, “Nothing.” 

    “Well, fine then. Don’t tell me why I have a Winchester in my bed this morning.” 

    His eyes went wide, and Kat couldn’t help but laugh, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. “Look, I must have passed out while watching Jeannie. No funny business.” 

    She smothered another laugh. “I was teasing Dean. I don’t mind.” He gave her another strange look before groaning and rolling over on his stomach again. Katherine rolled onto her side, facing him. “What’s with the weird looks you keep giving me?” He grunted, his face back in his pillow. “Seriously, Dean. What gives?”

    Dean grumbled and put his arm around her again, pulling her next to him. “Sleep, Kat. Talk later.” 

    “Nuh uh. Talk now. Then I kick you two out so I can do my morning workouts and take a shower.” 

    He turned his face to her, glaring. “What do you have against us and sleep?” 

    She looked down, chewing her lip, and whispered, “Nothing. I just wanted to get back to my old routines.” 

    Dean closed his eyes, mumbling, “Look, I’m an ass in the morning. Forget I said anything. I’ll get Sam up and into our room.” 

    “But you didn’t answer me." She grabbed his arm before he could leave, pulling him down to lay next to her again. "You keep giving me weird looks.” 

    He looked at her and shrugged. “I just thought…” He shook his head and buried it in the pillow again. “I thought you looked cute.” 

    Katherine paused before she smiled, “I hope you aren’t lying so that I’ll leave you alone and you can go back to sleep.” 

    Dean looked at her with his eyebrow raised. After a second he shook his head and laughed, “You caught me.” He rolled onto his side to face her. “Not gonna work, huh?” 

    Kat bit her lip and looked at his chest. He had discarded his work shirt at some point before he fell asleep and the t-shirt was wearing was pulled tight against his skin.“No, I probably look like shit. Look, I’m going to head to the bathroom. Mind getting Sam up and in your room now. I’d like to get my workout in before going to find some food.” 

    He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Wait, Kat.” 

    She smiled sadly at him. “It’s cool, Dean. I understand. You want your sleep.” 

    Dean whispered, his hand ruffling his hair, “I lied, okay?” He looked at the ceiling before continuing, “You do look cute, but I thought it was stupid to say that after what you’ve been through.” Kat stared at his lips, resisting the urge to kiss him. “Say something, please.” 

    “Do you know that Liz and Nicky are both pissed that I get to spend the next couple days with you guys?” 

    He furrowed his brow, “What does that have to do…” 

    “They are upset because I am staying with two… What was it Nicky told Liz? Oh yeah, two hot brothers. I told Liz though; I think only one of you is hot to me.” Kat stopped, licking her lips and watching Dean’s chest move with each breath. She took a deep breath and plunged on. “I mean, Sam’s cute. But I still see him as the kid laying on the floor of that suite, shoveling popcorn and veggies into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk’s. You, though...” 

    Suddenly, Dean’s hand was sliding up her back, pulling her closer to his chest. Kat stared into his green eyes before his hand moved to her cheek, using it to tilt her chin up. Dean’s eyes looked into both of her grey ones, checking for approval before he dipped his face down and captured her lips in a soft kiss. Kat closed her eyes as his hand slipped to her neck, his mind halting as his soft lips touched hers. She breathed deeply through her nose, inhaling the light gunpowder and leather scents clinging to him. She put her hand on his chest, returning his kiss as her body filled with warmth and Dean moved his lips with hers. All too soon, Dean pulled back, his face slightly flushed as Kat opened her eyes and smiled. 

    “Sorry, I shouldn’t have...” Dean murmured. 

    Kat softly smiled at him, “I’d say that was good timing.” 

    Dean chuckled and ran his thumb over her neck, “I’ll get Sam up and into the other room so you can work out.” He kissed her softly again before sitting up on the bed.


	11. Music

    After Dean and Sam left the room, Kat got out of bed and padded over to her bag. She pulled out her speaker, powered it on, and turned the volume down. She grabbed her phone and turned on her music app, pulling up her workout playlist and hitting play. Katherine's playlist began, and she started with basic stretches before she switched to doing push ups, sit ups, planks, and other exercises to help with the muscles she lost during her captivity. She tried to do as many as she could per song. It wasn’t long until she realized how out of shape she was because of inactivity. Sighing, she took a long draught of water, and she switched to the songs she used to practice dance movement. 

    A short time into her stay with her mother, Katherine figured out that her mother wouldn’t allow her to study different fighting styles. But her mother did let her sign up for Gymnastics. So Kat spent a year learning everything she could from her Gymnastics coach. During that time, she convinced her stepdad to sign her up for dance classes too. Kat figured she could use the lessons to keep her muscles strong while she waited until she could hunt again. She studied every form of dance the small city she grew up in offered. Over four years, she had learned Ballet, Swing, Hip Hop, Latin, Bollywood, Ballroom, and Middle Eastern. Her teachers were always thrilled with how quickly Katherine picked up the movements of each style. 

    Kat turned the music up slightly as Macklemore’s “Glorious” started to play. Using the beat to fuel her movements, she began twisting and turning her body to the music, singing the chorus. She laughed at herself when she found she was singing more than dancing. 

_I feel glorious, glorious._

_Got a chance to start again._

_I was born for this, born for this._

_It’s who I am, how could I forget?_

_I made it through the darkest part of the night,_

_And now I see the sunrise._

_Now I feel glorious, glorious._

_I feel glorious, glorious._  

    Kat started dancing again, grinning at the guys when she noticed them. Dean and Sam were standing against the wall next to the door to their room. Both were smiling while watching her. Kat stopped and stuck her tongue out at them before she started singing and dancing again. Sam laughed loudly and went to the coffee maker. Dean leaned back on the wall again, yawning. 

    As the song ended, Kat asked, “Do you want me to turn it down?” 

    Dean hooked a chair with his leg and sat at the table. He grabbed her phone and scrolled through her playlist. “Any good music on here?” 

    Kat laughed, “All of it is good. Pick a song, any song. I’ll dance to it. Pick the right song, and I’ll probably sing too.” Dean raised an eyebrow and poked a song. The song started, and Kat immediately recognized it. It started slow but built up to a quick rhythm. Kat nodded and started moving. She finished the song and took another drink of water. 

    “Nice job,” Sam commented, setting two cups of coffee on the table. “Want some, Kat?” 

    “When I’m done. Pick another one or let Sam.” Dean handed the phone to Sam and Sam scrolled. He chuckled and picked. This song was one she chose for Latin dance. Kat giggled and went back to dancing. 

    It went like that for a while. The guys took turns picking songs as Kat danced or sang, sometimes both. She always stopped in between songs to rehydrate or tease the guys about the songs they were picking. 

    It was Dean’s turn again. He stared at the list for a while, and Kat took the time to catch her breath and drink plenty of water. Finally, he set the phone down. 

    “I don’t know any of these songs,” he grumbled. 

    “You don’t have to know them. Pick a name that sounds interesting or an artist that catches your eye.” Kat rolled her shoulders before stretching her arms behind her back. 

    “Fine. This one sounds interesting.” He picked the song and Kat got ready. Within seconds, Kat was blushing and shaking her head. 

    “Oh! Um, this one gets interesting, lyrically.” Kat murmured, listening to the opening of “Bad Things” by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello. Shrugging, she sat down, “Typically I dance to this with a partner. But I’ll sing bits of it.” Dean shrugged and took a drink as Camila and Kat started to sing. 

_"Am I out of my head?_

_Am I out of my mind?_

_If you only knew the bad things I like._

_Don’t think that I can explain it._

_What can I say, it’s complicated._

_Don’t matter what you say._

_Don’t matter what you do._

_I only wanna do bad things to you._

_So good, that you can’t explain it._

_What can I say, it’s complicated."_  

    Dean choked on his coffee and Sam laughed, smacking Dean on the back. Kat blushed but kept singing. Getting up from the table, she went to her bag and pulled out a change of clothes for after her shower. When she turned around, Dean was slack-jawed and staring at her while Machine gun Kelly kept going. 

_I got what you dream ‘bout._

_Nails scratchin’ my back tatt,_

_Eyes closed while you scream out._

_And you keep me in with those hips_

_While my teeth sink in those lips_

_While your body’s giving me life_

_And you suffocate in my kiss._  

    Sam looked like he was having a fit. “Oh man, Dean. Your face right now!” 

    Dean punched the pause button, “What is this? Porn music? 

    Kat grinned. “Be careful what you pick on that list. And it’s not porn music. There is no Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow to it. Their discussing things they…” Kat paused and giggled, “Things they enjoy.” Sam guffawed at that and laid his head on the table. 

    “Why do you have it on this list?” 

    “It’s a good song. It helps me practice partnering when I have someone with me who can do that.” 

    “Partnering?” Dean raised an eyebrow, his voice sly. 

    “Getcha mind outta the gutter. It means dancing with a partner.” 

    Dean shrugged. “Seems like that shouldn’t be much of an issue. Just hold on and sway.” 

    Kat raised an eyebrow. “Yup, that’s what all the great dancers do. Hold on and sway.” 

    Dean blushed, “You know what I mean.” 

    “Kinda. This is how I make money though. My bar and my dancing.” 

    “You own a bar,” asked Sam, lifting his head from the table. 

    “Well, co-own. Liz is my business partner. She does the number crunching. I work with the bartenders, dancers, and bands.” 

    “Dancers? Like strippers,” Dean asked, smirking. 

    “Man, watch that gutter. You're spending so much time there; people might think you live there! No, not exotic dancers!” 

    Dean looked confused, “So you’re saying you dance to this song with guys at your bar?” 

    “Not usually. It’s a dance we use on certain nights, but typically only once a month or so. Mostly, I like the song. I mean, there’s a part where he raps about having sex with the girl in their kitchen.” Kat shrugged, “It’s pretty hot.” 

    Dean smirked at her while his brother was distracted starting the song again. “Now that I have to hear,” Sam muttered. Kat went back to her bag to find the rest of her shower stuff and the guys listened to the rest of the song. She turned around as Kelly was singing the lyrics she described. Dean and Sam looked stunned. 

    “I told you it was pretty hot.” Kat laughed at the look on their faces. “Oh, come on. It’s not that shocking!” 

    Sam grumbled under his breath, “Not when you have him for your brother, but still.” Sam winced as Dean kicked him. “What?!” 

    “Shut up, Sam.” 

    Kat laughed, “It’s okay, Sam. We’ll talk about that later.” She winked at him and went back to the song. “You should see the video for the song. It’s pretty good.” She pulled up the video on her phone and sat between the brothers while they watched. 

    “Wait, that’s the guy that sings this,” Dean asked. 

    “Raps. And, yeah. That’s Machine Gun Kelly.” 

    “Kinda scrawny, isn’t he?” 

    “I know several women who wouldn’t care if he is, especially if he can do the things he describes.” 

    The video ended and Sam nodded. “Pretty good.” 

    Dean looked confused, “So wait, they are singing about having sex, but they never actually do it? And what’s with that ending?” 

    Kat sighed, “They aren’t going to show people fucking in the music video and the ending is supposed to make you think.” 

    Dean shook his head, “Would have been better with more sex.” 

    Kat groaned, and Sam patted her shoulder, “Trust me, drop it. He’ll never agree.” 

    Kat laughed and went to her bed, “Well, on that note, I’m jumping in the shower. I’ll make the food run when I get out. Either of you want to come along?” 

    Dean nodded. “I’ll go with you.” The brothers picked up their coffee mugs, and Sam went to their room while Kat grabbed her shower stuff. 

    Dean walked over to Kat and put his hand on her lower back, whispering in her ear, “Alright, it was better without sex.” He kissed her cheek and walked out of the room.


	12. Confusion

    Kat finished drying her ebony hair. Dressed in a green tank top and jeans, she opened the door of the bathroom, hung the towel over the shower, and went to grab her bottle of water. The entrance to the guys' room was closed, so Kat picked up her water before knocking on their door. She could hear hushed voices and footsteps before the door opened with Sam on the other side. Kat saw Dean sitting on one of the beds, his face turned away from Sam and her. 

    “Hey, I’m getting ready to leave. Do either of you still want to ride with?” 

    Sam turned away from her, “Dean, you still want to go?” 

    Dean looked at Sam, his face unreadable. A second passed before Dean replied, “Sure.” 

    “I’ll meet you by Beauty. I need to grab my wallet and phone.” 

    Dean nodded stiffly, standing up, and stretching. Sam smiled at Kat and shut the door. Kat frowned, shaking her head as she reached into her bag on the table and grabbed her keys and wallet. She patted her jeans pockets to make sure she had her phone and motel key and put her wallet in her back pocket. She twirled her keys and walked out of her motel room into the parking lot. 

    Dean was leaning against his Impala, arms crossed and head down. Kat walked over to Beauty and unlocked the doors before she whistled to Dean, who looked up, and she climbed into the car. Dean walked over and jumped in, his face unreadable. 

    “Sorry I took so long,” Kat said, started Beauty and starting to pull out. Dean shrugged and made a sound in the back of his throat. Kat stopped at the end of the parking lot. “Did you want to drive or something?” Dean shook his head, looking out of his window. “Okay...” Kat sighed and continued on her way to the grocery store. 

    After five minutes of Kat trying to start a conversation and Dean not answering or only giving vague answers, Kat had had enough. She took a sharp turn into an empty parking lot, causing Dean to curse and grab onto the dashboard. She threw the car into park and jumped out, stomping away a short distance before running her fingers through her still damp hair, trying to calm down. 

    Dean jumped out of the car, “What the hell, Kat! You could have killed us both!” 

     “I know how to handle my car," She snorted. "What I can’t fucking handle right now is the silent treatment I’m getting. Something I don’t fucking deserve, as far as I know.”

    Dean stopped in his tracks within five feet of Kat. “I’m not giving you the silent treatment.” 

    Kat gave a harsh laugh, “Bullshit! You haven’t said more than three words since we left the motel. What the hell happened while I was in the shower, Dean?” 

    He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, “Nothing.” 

    “Oh hell no! Don’t lie to me. Something happened. Before the shower, you kissed me on the cheek. Now? You won’t even be within touching distance of me.” 

    Dean shuffled his feet, mumbling, “Look, Sam saw me kiss you on the cheek.” 

    “So? Why would that matter?” 

    “Because Sam told me not to push things with you. You just got out of that nest. You were lonely and scared. You aren’t thinking straight yet.” 

    Kat walked up to Dean and growled at him, “No! You do NOT get to tell me how I feel or how I’m thinking! If I didn’t want you to kiss me, I could have told you no. I could have turned my face away. I didn’t do that, did I?” 

    He shook his head. “No, but that doesn’t mean I should have done it.” 

    She growled in frustration, “Realy?! Fine. If that is what you want to believe just because Sam told you so.” 

    “Kat, it’s true. Besides, the only reason I was on that bed was that I didn’t want you to wake up alone and afraid.” 

    “So you were a good guy, and now I’m being punished for allowing you a couple of kisses? What the fuck, Dean?” 

    “I wasn't being a good guy.” Dean crossed his arms and looked down. “I was being selfish.” He paused, and she groaned. “Look, I wanted to wake up next to you too, okay? So I sent Sam to the other bed when I noticed he was falling asleep. I told him I wasn’t tired yet and would be up a little longer. But I didn’t stay up. Once I knew Sam was asleep, I scooted you over and laid down.” Dean shook his head. “It was stupid.” Kat looked at him, speechless. “Yeah, I know. I’m a piece of shit.” 

    Kat closed her eyes, trying to rein in her temper. “There you go again, putting words in my mouth.” Kat glared at Dean. She took a step forward, and he backed up. “You know what I thought before you put words in my mouth? That that was the single most adorable thing a guy has said to me if it weren’t for the fact that he thought he was being selfish and stupid.” Dean uncrossed his arms and returned her glare. “You know what really pisses me off though, Dean? That you can’t just accept that maybe, just maybe, I DO like you and I WAS happy that you kissed me.” 

    “You WERE happy?” 

    “Well, you make it hard for a woman to be happy she got kissed when you are telling her she isn’t right in the head and you make her sound like a simpering idiot!” 

    “That wasn’t what I meant by any of that. Now, who’s putting words in whose mouth?” 

    Kat groaned and walked around Dean. “You know what? I’m done. Believe what you want. I’m going to the grocery store. If you don’t want to be left behind, get in the damn car.” 

    “Kat!” 

    Kat turned on her heel. “What, Dean?!” 

    Dean walked over, hands in the pocket of his jeans. “He has a crush on you, Kat.” 

    “What?!” 

    “Sam. He has a crush on you.” 

    “What does that have to do with us?” 

    Dean looked at the toe of his boots, “Because I can find another woman to keep me company. But Sam can’t. At least, not one like you. Not one I know can handle her own and Sam won’t lose her to some horrible fate.” 

    Kat stared at him, dumbfounded. She turned away and threw open the car door, slamming it shut. She threw the car into Drive before glaring at the steering wheel, “Get in or walk back. I don’t care which but pick one. Or do we need to call Sam and see what you should do?” 

    Dean glared at her and walked around the car. He got in, and Kat drove off before he could buckle his belt. They spent the rest of the drive in silence, even the shopping was silent, except when she asked him to find something to eat for himself and Sam and that she would meet him at the car. Kat walked away from him and found her food. When she finished checking out, she left money with the cashier telling her who it was for before leaving to sit in her car with her food. 

    Dean came out a couple of minutes later and put her change on the dash before he put his groceries in the backseat. Kat picked up her money and pushed it into her pocket. She put the car in reverse as Dean jumped into the passenger seat and buckled up. 

    They were a couple of miles down the road when Dean cleared his throat, “Kat…” 

    “Dean, I’m going to ask you to not talk to me. I have a terrible temper, and I already regret the last thing I said to you. I don’t need more regret in my life right now.” 

    “Kat, please. I want to explain.” 

    Kat pulled over into the same parking lot they argued in before. Why not, she thought, _might as well make it the parking lot for arguments._ Kat turned off the car, unbuckled, and got out of her car. With the windows open, she could hear Dean sigh and unbuckle. She pushed out of her lean and walked away from the car, trying to clear her head before this new battle began. 

    “You have to understand, Kat. He’s my little brother!” 

    “I understand what it is to have a younger sibling, Dean. I have two. I understand what it means to want them safe and happy!” 

    “So why are you acting like this?” 

    “Because,” Kat yelled. “You never asked me what I want. You never asked me what I feel. You called me company! You assumed that I would be okay with you handing me off to Sam like I’m some prize you won for him at the fucking fair!” 

    “I’m not handing you off! I’m stepping back!” 

    “Stepping back? Why bother? Oh! That’s right because you want Sam to have me. Did you ever think about what I said this morning about Sam? About how I felt about him?” 

    “I didn’t think you would be this mad.” Dean stared at the toes of his boots again. 

     Kat turned and pushed him, her temper boiling over. “Go fucking figure. Dean didn’t think it through?” She walked towards him, and he walked backward and away from her. “Well, let me lay it out to you like this. You were the first crush I ever had.” Kat blushed but pushed on. “Sam is like a kid brother. Sure, he’s adorable, but I’d say the same about my youngest sister! And you know what kills me? I thought about kissing you a couple of minutes before you kissed me! But you made that move, and now you’re the one telling me that it was a mistake! That I’m just ‘company!’” Dean looked at her, eyes wide. “Do you have any idea how much that fucking hurts to hear,” she growled and pushed him again, not realizing until it was too late that she had backed him up to the car while yelling. Dean’s back hit her Caddie with a dull thud. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Dean. I know better than to let my temper overrule me. I'm my mother's child, and I need to work harder at keeping my anger in check.” She shook her head, “I need to walk away right now. I… I need to cool off.” 

    Dean groaned. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm, swinging her around and pinning her to the car, an arm on either side of her. “Shut up, Kat.” She bit her lip and looked to the side. Dean leaned his head against hers, “Kat, please look at me.” She closed her eyes for a moment before staring into his bottle green eyes. He put his hands on her hips. “I was your first crush?” He chuckled when her face went red again, and she nodded. “And you thought about kissing me this morning?” She cleared her throat, bobbing her head. 

    Dean wrapped his arms around Kat’s waist and dropped his mouth to her ear, “Why didn’t you kiss me then?” 

    “Because you and I were talking and you seemed to think that I didn’t like you." She rambled, "I mean, I could have kissed you, but I wanted to tell you I liked you first…” 

    “Kat,” he whispered in her ear again. “Shut up.” He leaned his forehead against hers and ran his hands up to her waist. “Next time, just kiss me.” Katherine nodded dumbly, and Dean chuckled under his breath. She put her arms around his neck and pulled his face to her, kissing him softly. Dean groaned and put one hand on her neck, thumb softly rubbing against her jaw. He kissed her back, mouth parting slightly before his teeth gently pulled on her bottom lip, releasing and sucking softly on it. Kat moaned into the kiss and ran her hand up his neck and into the light brown hair at the back of his head. Dean pushed his body closer to hers, his hips pinning her against the car, sweeping his tongue across her bottom lip. Kat parted her lips and his tongue thrust between them, gently gliding over hers. 

    Dean broke their kiss and stepped back, hands sliding down to her hips again. “We should get back. Sam will start to worry. Look, I’m sorry for listening to Sam. I’ll talk to you next time.” 

    She sighed, “I’m sorry for snapping and pushing you. I know I shouldn’t have.” 

    He nodded, “It’s fine. You’ve been through some rough shit. You’re bound to be on edge.” Kat frowned and leaned forward to give him a quick peck. Dean chuckled, “We might need a put a hold on the kissing, especially in front of Sam, until I can talk to him.” 

    Kat tilted her head, confused, “Talk to him?” 

    Dean placed his forehead against hers again. “I don’t want him thinking I’m taking advantage of you.” 

    “I’d like to see you try.” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m just saying; I can hold my own against another human. Vampires might get dicey. Humans, I got this shit.” Chuckling, he kissed her forehead. “Why don’t you let me talk to Sam? Let me tell him how I feel about this.” 

    Dean grimaced, replying, “He’s my brother. I should talk to him first.”

    “Okay," she huffed. "But no more of this crap about me and not being in my right mind.” 

    “I’ll let him talk to you about that shit.”


	13. Back

    When Katherine and Dean got back with the groceries, Sam was asleep in his bed. Kat put the groceries on the table while Dean shut the two doors that led to the brothers’ room. Kat looked up when she heard the lock to her room click. 

    “Why are you locking the door?” 

    Dean laughed, “Calm down. I’m just letting Sam sleep.” 

    She shook her head and went to the dresser next to her bed. “Seems like the door doesn’t need to be locked then.” She was distracted while plugging in her phone, listening to his footsteps as he walked over. His arms snaked around her waist, and he pulled her back against him, Kat biting her lip as he pulled her ass to his groin. Leaning back into his chest, one of his arms moved to wrap just under her breasts, the other staying around her hips, his thumb playing with the hem of her shirt. 

    Dean whispered into her ear, his breath tickling her neck. “If I didn’t lock the door, I couldn’t hold you like this.” His arm under her breasts moved, bringing his hand up to hold her chin gently. His arm now rested firmly between her breasts as he gently turned her face to look at him. “You want me to unlock it, Kat?” 

    Kat’s heart was beating a mile a minute in her chest as she looked into his bright green eyes. “It can stay locked,” she whispered. 

     “I thought you might agree,” Dean smirked at her, his hand releasing her chin as he turned her around. He kissed her fiercely, lips parting and tongue darting into her mouth as she gasped into the kiss. He slid his hands down her body, grabbing her ass, before gripping her thighs. His hands firmly in place, Dean picked Kat up and sat her on top of the low dresser, his mouth never leaving hers. 

    Kat moaned into the kiss as Dean’s calloused hands ran up her hips and under her tank top, drawing her closer with a press to her back. She could feel his arousal pressing against his jeans when he ground it into her, causing her to arch her back. She could barely breathe, the heat in her body and the tight feeling in her belly making her breaths ragged and short while their lips moved together. 

    When Dean ran his hand over her stomach and thumbed the band on her bra, Kat broke the kiss and laid her head on his shoulder. “Wait,” her voice was a breathless rasp. “Sam might wake up, and you said on the way back that Castiel wanted to talk to you.” 

    Dean kissed and sucked her neck lightly, running his tongue over the sensitive skin over her pulse. “I don’t understand the problem.” Kat could feel his lips against her skin as he spoke and had to bite her lip to hold back her whimper. 

    She gently nibbled at his neck, smiling as he groaned against the skin on her shoulder. “So. You said Castiel tends just to drop in, unannounced.” She kissed her way to his earlobe, running her tongue underneath it and gently nibbling on the edge. She whispered in his ear, “Don’t want him to drop in while I’m naked underneath you.” 

    He growled against her neck. “That would not be a good idea.” Kat giggled and let her hands roam his chest, pushing his work shirt aside and pulling his tee up so she could explore the muscles on his chest and stomach. Dean’s breathing was rough as he lifted his mouth to her ear, “Which means you need to stop that before I say fuck it.” 

    Kat smiled, nipping at his ear. “I’ll stop when you quit grinding your hips against me,” she whispered as he grabbed her ass and pulled her tight against him. She wrapped her long legs around his waist, holding him to her. He growled, pushing his hips hard against hers. She put a hand on his face, guiding his lips to hers. The kiss was hard and full of heat as Dean ground his hips against hers and soft moans escaped her, the knot in her belly growing. 

    Dean broke the kiss and put his mouth to work, kissing and gently biting the skin over her collarbone. “Maybe I should call Cas and tell him to give us an hour.” 

    Kat pulled his face up with her hands, quirking an eyebrow, “A whole hour?” 

    Dean smirked, “Maybe two.” Kat felt stomach flip as she thought of the prospect of two hours in bed with the man.Dean continued his assault on her senses, his mouth kissing, licking and nibbling across her shoulders and neck. His rough hands explored her back and stomach before he slipped his hand under the front of her top and she felt him cup her bra-covered breast, squeezing gently. Her mind reeled as Dean bit her shoulder, tongue lashing out to quiet the sting. Kat gasped as he thumbed her nipple through the lacy material of her bra. 

    Suddenly, Dean’s hands were gone, and he was searching his pockets. He pulled out his phone and Kat’s legs fell against the dresser as she leaned back against the wall, hands flat on the top of the dresser. Dean watched her, taking in her exposed stomach and bra, nipples showing through the lace covering them. “Fuck, that’s hot.” He ran his empty hand over the anti-possession tattoo on her ribs and onto her breast. He licked his lip as Kat pushed her chest into his hand, her breath hitching and eyes fluttering as he pinched her nipple. He leaned over her, face inches from hers. “Don’t you dare move.” 

    Kat licked her lips, her grey eyes focused on his lips. “You move before I hang up and I’ll be so pissed at you.” Kat’s lips parted slightly, and she nodded. Dean took his hand off of her and poked at his phone. While waiting for Cas to answer, he watched Kat, eyes devouring the sight of her disheveled state. When Cas’s voicemail kicked in, Dean groaned and closed his eyes, “Dude, Cas. Call me before you come here.” He opened his eyes to see Kat push the hair out of her eyes. He raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Serious, Cas,” His voice low and raspy. “Don’t pop in.” 

    Dean hung up and grabbed her hips, pulling her roughly against him again. “I thought I told you not to move.” 

    Kat pouted, “My hair was tickling my face.” 

    “I gave you an order," he grumbled. "You didn’t listen.” He pulled her up so her chest was against his. “You need to listen to me, Kat,” he whispered in her ear. He grabbed the hair at the back of her head and pulled gently. Kat could feel his lips against the shell of her ear as she wrapped her arms and legs around him again. “Listen to me, baby. I don’t want to push you too far.” 

    Dean pulled back slightly before he kissed her, his hand grabbing the lace covering her breast and pulling it down. With her breast free, he kissed his way down her neck and chest. His tongue traced circles around her nipple as Kat closed her eyes and arched into him. Dean pushed her back and grumbled against her skin, “No moving.” She whined, and he said more forcefully, “No. Moving.” 

    Kat dropped her arms to either side of her, dropping her legs and bracing herself before she grinned, her voice breathless, “No moving. Yes, sir.” Dean groaned and took her nipple into her mouth. She gasped at his hot mouth on her skin. Katherine fought not to move as he pulled her nipple into his mouth, tongue licking lazily over the tip. When his teeth grazed it, she sucked her bottom lip to stifle a wanton moan. 

    Dean pulled the cup down from her other breast, kneading it with his hand before kissing his way across her chest and taking her other nipple into his mouth. Kat was fighting the urge to squirm underneath him as his fingers and mouth teased her nipples. He kissed his way down her stomach, pushing her legs apart before stopping at the waistline of her jeans. He fingered the fabric over her hips, licking and nipping his way across the barrier. Kat moaned, begging him to keep going. Dean laughed against her skin, and he kissed his way back up her body, pausing to pay particular attention to her neck. 

    Kat whined at his torturous pace, and Dean chuckled. “You want more?” She pouted, nodding her head. Dean’s voice was like honey to her as he asked, “Are you going to be a good girl now?” 

   "I'll try," she whimpered, feeling his hand come up to grasp the side of her neck. 

   “Good enough.” His hand slipped down her body, brushing down the side of her breast and over her hip. His fingers tickled the top of her stomach before unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans. “Put your legs around me,” he whispered against her lips. Kat obeyed, crossing her ankles behind his back. He smirked, “Good girl.” 

    Kat gasped as his hand slipped into her jeans, his hand coming to rest over her slick soaked panties. Dean groaned, his head falling onto her shoulder. “Fuck. You’re so wet.” He kissed her deeply, his fingers rubbing her panties into her wet folds. Her moan was swallowed by his mouth as he pushed his jean covered arousal against the hand over her damp heat, timing his thrusts with the movements of his hand. 

    She broke the kiss and gasped, fighting the urge to move. “Dean, C-Can I move? Please!” 

    Dean’s free arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her in place as his thrusts became harder. He moaned into her long hair, “Fuck yeah.” 

    Kat sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in between her arm and his neck. She rolled her hips into his hand, adding to the friction and feeling the hard knot in her belly starting to come loose. 

   “Oh fuck, Dean,” she moaned against his neck. Dean growled as he pulled her hips into a new position, leaning her back so he could get a better angle. His fingers slipped under her panties, rubbing against her folds before dipping in and circling her clit. She slid her hand down, gently grasping the bulge in his pants. He groaned, his hot breath trickling across her neck. His hips rocked into her hand, his fingers pressing harder against her clit as he kissed her jaw. 

    Kat's orgasm was fast approaching when they startled, hearing someone clearing their throat across the room. She pulled herself up to Dean’s chest, using him to cover her bare skin as she wrapped both arms around his shoulders. Dean pulled her closer still, removing his hand from her silk-covered folds and closing his eyes. “Cas, why do you have a phone if you don’t listen to the messages?!” 

    Kat dared a look over Dean’s shoulder, seeing Castiel staring at the two of them. “I didn’t think it was important.” 

    Dean sighed, “Yeah, it was important, Cas!” 

    Dean started to back away, and Katherine held him tight, “At least turn around, Castiel. You don’t have to stare at us,” she grumbled. 

    Cas's eyebrow quirked before he turned around, “I don’t see what the big deal is.” 

    Dean and Kat helped each other fix their clothing. Dean took off his work shirt, putting it on Kat to hide her hardened nipples. He kissed her cheek and whispered, “We’ll finish this later.” Kat couldn’t hold back the shiver that ran down her spine at the words. Dean pulled her off of the dresser and squeezed her ass. Kat smiled and ran her hand up his chest, grasping his neck and kissing his swollen lips. 

    Cas sighed, grumbling, “If you’re going to start again, I’m going to watch TV.” 

    Dean groaned and backed away, turning towards Cas, “What did you want to talk to me about, Cas?” 

    “Something that needs to be private,” Castiel said, throwing a pointed look at Kat. 

    Kat shrugged, “My room, Castiel.” She stuck her tongue out at him, and he frowned. 

    Dean rubbed a hand through his short hair. “Fine, we’ll talk in the other room, but if we have to wake up Sam, I’m blaming you.

    Dean and Castiel went through to the other room, Dean casting Kat an apologetic stare as he shut and locked the door behind him. Kat sighed and sat on her bed, hoping Dean talked to the angel about not speaking to Sam about what he saw. Kat laid back on her bed, bringing Dean’s work shirt up to her nose and breathing in the scent of him from the fibers. She pulled the blankets over herself and curled up in the middle of the bed, her body aching from her denied climax. 


	14. Over

    Kat woke up to a dull ache in her belly and someone’s hand on her blanket covered hip. She rolled over onto her back, keeping her knees up when the pain turned evil. Dean was sitting next to her, a far-off look in his eyes. 

    “How long was I asleep?” 

    “About two hours." Dean shrugged. "Cas is gone, and Sam is up. He wants us all to sit down for breakfast and talk about heading out.” 

    Kat sat up, ignoring the pain in her belly. “Did you talk to him yet?” 

    Dean looked away. “Yeah.” 

    Kat frowned and hugged her knees. “How bad was it?” 

    “Not good.” He paused and dropped his head, “I think we should cool it for a while. Sam’s sure that you are going to change your mind.” 

    Kat glared at him, “Maybe I should explain to him how serious I am about this?.” 

    “Trust me, okay? I’m not saying forever. I’m saying for a little bit.” Dean nuzzled her neck, “And we can still have our fun when we're alone.” 

    Kat turned her head, cutting off his advances, “No! No, we can’t.” He gave her a hard look, his hand under her chin forcing her to look at him. “I’ve done the fooling around bullshit. Someone always ends up hurt.” 

    He smiled and shook his head, “It’s only for a little bit, Kat.” 

    She turned a hard look on him. “No, Dean. If you want to cool it until he warms up to the idea, then we are going back to square one. I can’t kiss you knowing that you are too busy worrying what your brother will think.” 

    He huffed and got off the bed. “Fine. Have it your way.” 

    Kat took off his work shirt and threw it at him. “It’s not my way. If it were my way, you’d be in bed with me right now, and I would be doing dirty, naughty, wonderful things to you.” Dean smiled and reached down to her, and she pushed his hand away. “But it’s not my way. It’s yours. Or rather, it’s Sam and yours.” 

    He glared at her and put his work shirt back on, tugging hard on the sides as he settled it around himself. “Fine, Katherine.” With that, he went over to the table. 

    Kat sighed, realizing that was the first time he had called her by her full first name. She heard Bobby’s voice in her head, a memory from long ago. “ _Hunter’s don’t have relationships, girl. They have friends and enemies. Any hunter with a family or woman tends to die faster, or their family dies. Ain’t no in between.”_ Kat climbed out of her bed and fixed her sleep, mussed clothes. “Tell Sam to come in here. Let’s get this travesty over with now.” Dean turned around and gave her a hurt look before storming out. 

... 

    Breakfast had been an awkward affair. Dean kept glaring at his food and giving one to two-word answers. Sam was chipper like he didn’t know why Dean and Kat were so upset. Kat was plotting a way to run away, her answers as short as Dean’s. The only thing they settled was when they would leave. 

    An hour later, Sam had returned from dropping the motel keys off and started loading bags into the Impala. Kat was sitting in her DeVille, windows rolled down, waiting for the guys to finish packing. Kat had inspected the rooms before they left to make sure nothing was left behind. She looked behind her where she had hidden one of Dean’s black work shirts he had forgotten in her room after waking in bed with her. 

    Sam walked over to her car, “Mind some company on the first leg of the trip? I don’t know if I can handle being trapped in the car with Dean right now.” 

    Kat could hear her mind groaning, dreading the trip. “Sure, Sam. Hop in.” 

    Sam waved to Dean, who faced forward and glared at the steering wheel. Sam climbed into the car, buckling up and leaning back in the seat. 

    “Thanks, Katherine.” 

    Kat threw her car into reverse, “Sure, Sam. No problem.” 

    Katherine enjoyed the first leg of the trip. She and Sam talked about hunts they had been on, research, and books. Kat used her adapter and let Sam pick some music from their phones. While searching through her cellphone, Sam found a picture of him and Dean while they were loading up the car. 

    Sam chuckled and flashed her phone towards her. “What’s with the picture?” 

    “Couple of my friends were asking about the guys I was with on the road." Kat blushed and focused on the road. "Figured I’d send a picture.” Kat took a deep breath while Sam chuckled. “Sam, you can look through my music and pictures. Just don’t read my messages.” She quickly glanced at Sam’s quizzical look before turning back to the road. “I’d like them to stay private.” Kat shuddered at the idea of Sam finding her rundown of that morning with Dean.  

    To her relief, Sam nodded, “I get it.” His phone went off, and he groaned. 

    “Everything okay?” 

    “Just Dean. He and I are…” He paused and read the message. “We’re not exactly in agreement on some things.” 

    Kat gripped the steering wheel tighter, “Like the fact that he and I kissed?” 

    Sam looked at her surprised. “He told you about that conversation?” 

    “I think I have the right to know if the guy I like’s brother disapproves of us being together.” 

    “It's not that," Sam groaned. "Well, it is, but it’s more so the fact that you are still healing from your captivity in that nest of vampires. I don’t want you or Dean getting hurt when you realize you are just hero-worshipping him.” 

    Kat burst out laughing. “You don’t get it, do you?” She glanced at him before turning back to the road. “If that were the case, it would be you. You helped cut me down, and you carried me out. No, I had a crush on your brother when I was thirteen, and we all met at that suite. I begged my dad to reconcile with yours so that I could see him again.” 

    Sam looked at Kat, mouth hanging open in shock. “I thought you…” 

    Kat snorted, “That’s just it, Sam. You decided based on how you thought I felt. You have never asked me.” Kat took the turnoff to Clear Lake, Iowa, finding their motel for the night and parking her Caddie by the office. Kat turned to look at Sam, who looked deep in thought. “Sam.” He turned his attention to her, and she forged on, “I like your brother. Nicole has warned me that he’s a heartbreaker, but I wanted to take my chances.” 

    Sam shook his head in confusion, “Wanted to?” 

    “We broke things off this morning before breakfast." She looked at her hands on the steering wheel. "He said he wanted you to get used to the idea that he and I could be good together. I got angry and told him that if he wanted to cool things off until you were okay with it, then I was taking it back to square one. He didn’t take it well. Hell, I’m not taking it well.” 

    “That wasn’t what I wanted.” 

    Kat gave a small, sad laugh. “I don’t think any of this is what anyone wanted, Sam.” She swiped away the tear that was rolling down her cheek. She took a deep breath and looked at the roof of her car before blowing out the air hard. “But what’s done is done.” She gave Sam a sad smile that he returned. “Alright, Sam. Go get our rooms for the night.” She handed him her money for the rooms and Sam got out of the car. 

    Just as Sam got back with the room keys, Dean pulled up in the Impala. “Katherine, you drive like a bat out of Hell.” 

    Kat smiled at Dean, but her smile held no warmth. “Get over it, old man. Sam’s got the room keys.” Adopting her best Arnie accent, she added, “Come with us if you want to live” as she pulled out of her spot and drove to park closer to where they would be sleeping. 

    Kat grumbled as they pulled up to the room they would all be sharing that night. It was a double queen, so there was enough room for everyone to crash, but there would be no escaping Dean. She sighed as she took her room key from Sam and brought in her go bag. The duffle was getting to be overflowing with dirty laundry, so Kat took the first opportunity she got to leave the room, telling the guys she needed to do laundry. Sam volunteered to go with her.  

    Sam and Kat were getting through the laundry at a quick pace when Dean group messaged them, letting them know he had found a bar and was going to have a nightcap. Kat worried her lip, thinking of all the tawdry things the word “nightcap” could mean. Sam noticed her fretting and put his hand on her shoulder. 

    Squeezing gently, he said, “Dean does this sometimes. He goes and drinks and comes back to pass out in bed.” 

    “And how often does he do that without flirting with some girl until she takes him home?” 

    Sam winced and dropped his hand to his side. “Yeah, point taken.”

     The dryer with the last of Kat’s clothing went off. She walked away to pull and fold it. Her mind was reeling with the vision of Dean with another woman. His body pressing into her the way he had done to Kat just that morning. Kat could feel the dull pain in her chest get worse as her mind showed her all the ways Dean could be screwing another woman. She knew what people got up to in bars, knew the different places they could go to have some privacy. 

    Sam came over, his and Dean’s clothes already folded and put back in their bag. “Kat, It’ll be okay.” 

    “You say that, but I don’t think it will be.” She looked down to see she had only folded three shirts. She made a disgusted sound and threw the clothes into her laundry bag. “Forget this. Forget all of it. I need to go back to the room and sleep.” She looked at Sam and groaned, “I’m not going to get all hung up on a guy who doesn’t want me. I refuse.” She didn’t wait for Sam’s response. She went out to the car with her laundry. They didn’t talk on the way back. Kat was too busy listening to her music, and Sam had his eyes glued to his phone.


	15. Regret

    Kat and Sam decided who would sleep on which bed. In the end, Sam took the bed closest to the bathroom, in case Dean drank too much and needed the shorter trip. Kat didn’t argue as she pulled out a pair of pajama shorts and a clean tank, excusing herself to change in the bathroom. When she came back, Sam had propped himself up on his and Dean’s bed, watching TV while also checking his phone regularly. 

    Kat crawled into her bed and curled up under the blankets. She laughed when Sam’s phone went off again. 

    “Someone’s popular tonight.” 

    Sam looked at her puzzled and then laughed when his phone went off again. “Oh. Yeah, I guess. Just trying to update some friends about what’s going on.” 

    Kat smiled and laid on her side, facing Sam and teasing him, “Oh, I thought it was some hot girl you have waiting for you. Figured she was sending you dirty texts.” 

    “What was it you told Dean this morning? ‘Getcha mind outta the gutter.’” 

    Kat grinned. “Touché!” She sighed and rolled over on her other side, “Night Sam.” 

    “Night, Kat. I’ll silence my phone.” 

    Kat shrugged as she put in earbuds and turned on her music. “No big deal. I’ve got my music.” 

... 

    Kat wasn’t sure what time it was when she heard Dean come into the room. Her earbuds had fallen out while she tossed and turned in bed. She listened to Sam’s heavy breathing from the next bed, and the light from the TV created shadows as he shut the door. Dean crept through the door, stumbling as he went. Kat slid her knife under her pillow again and laid still, not wanting to draw his attention as she peaked at him in the dark. He stood at the foot of her bed for a little bit, and she could see his head turning to take in the shapes in each bed. 

    Dean let out a sigh and came over to Kat’s bed. She shut her eyes and feigned sleep before feeling her bed dip as he settled on the edge. She slit her eyes so she could see him. He was looking at her, a sad look on his face. Kat closed her eyes again, keeping her breathing measured as she felt the bed tip and his hand on her hip. His thumb traced arcs against her hip bone before took his hand away and got up. Kat swallowed hard, fighting her urge to reach out to him. 

    She heard Dean cross the room to the other bed, his boots fall to the floor, and his flop onto the bed, which woke Sam. The two began to argue in hushed voices, and Kat sighed, screwing her earbuds back into her ear. Laying on her back, she saw the guys peek at her. She stole a look at the guys, Sam flashing her an apologetic look. Dean's eyes held a staggering amount of sadness. Kat closed her eyes and rolled away. 

    When Kat woke up again, she pulled her earbuds out. Listening to the Winchesters’ heavy breathing, Kat groaned and got up. She grabbed her go bag, with her freshly cleaned clothes now inside and padded her way to the bathroom. She started up the shower, using her phone to turn on some music, keeping the sound low so the guys could sleep. Katherine quickly undressed in the chilly bathroom and hopped under the warm jets of water. She sighed as the water loosened the knots in her shoulders and back and quickly washed up before leaning against the shower wall. 

    Kat closed her eyes, thinking over the last few days. It felt like a lifetime now. Her mind kept replaying scenes of Dean’s face as he touched her, Dean’s smile, his smirk, his words as she was close to climaxing. Kat sank down the wall and sat on the cool tile floor.The knot Dean had placed in her belly roared back into life as she kept thinking about his hands on her hips, his rough skin as he palmed her breasts, his hot mouth on her nipple, and his fingers as they curled around her core. 

    Kat stood up and tried to distract herself. She shaved her legs. _Dean’s hands on her thighs as he lifted her onto the dresser._ She washed her face. _Dean’s hand on her chin and he pulled her into a kiss._ She ran her soapy hands over her neck. _Dean’s mouth leaving teasing kisses on her overly sensitive skin as his hard body pushed against her, grinding his hips into her._  

    Kat groaned and threw a bar of soap across the shower. She rinsed herself off, giving up on holding the memories off and released a breath as her hands ran over the spots he had touched so expertly. Leaning against the wall of the shower, Katherine cupped her sex and ran her hand over the slick folds. Slowly, she slipped a finger between them, imagining Dean’s large hand instead and his breath in her ear. 

     _Dean pushed her against the wall of the shower, slipping his hand between her thighs while his mouth kissed a trail from her shoulder to her ear. His fingers slid between her folds, and he drew lazy circles over the small bundle of nerves. Her back arched and he used his free hand to lift her leg and wrap it around his hip. His index finger slowly slipped inside of her, and she sucked in her lip to keep from crying out, feeling the knot in her belly pulse. His finger slowly slid in and out of her as he groaned into her ear and his thumb teased her clit. His head fell onto her shoulder as she reached between them to take his hard arousal into her hand, pumping it to the same rhythm he was using against her. His hips pushing his shaft into her hand and she arched her back as he slipped another finger into her. His fingers curled inside her, pushing against the perfect spot as his thumb circled the small bundle of nerves, causing the knot inside her to grow and start to release. The feeling of Dean’s release into her hand, his voice ragged as he groaned her name against her ear._  

    Katherine covered her mouth as she climaxed, her other hand slowing to a stop as she slowly slid down the wall. She sat under the water, her knees drawn up to her chest, as she hiccupped. Kat laid her face to her knees and cried quietly over the loss of what she could have had with Dean. She only allowed herself a couple of minutes before she wiped her eyes and made herself get up. 

    Kat turned off the shower and dried off, dressing in a pair of jean shorts and her Led Zeppelin T-shirt before she turned off her music. Taking a shaky breath, she threw the towel she was using over her head and walked out of the bathroom drying her hair. _I don’t want to see his face after I just touched myself to the idea of him. Better to go to my bed, sit down, and pretend it never happened._ She got as far as the edge of Sam and Dean’s bed before she bumped into one of the guys and her bag went flying. 

    “Fuck,” Kat quietly cursed. Kneeling down to gather her clothes that had flown across the room. 

    “Shit! Sorry, Katherine.” Kat hung her head. _Of course, it’s Dean. Because God really wants to fuck with me. I swear I’m going to kick that fucker in the shins if I ever meet him._  

    “It’s fine, Winchester,” Kat said coldly, hiding her face with the towel as she remembered her fantasy in the shower. _Yup, shin kicking time._  

    “Winchester?” Dean grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from crawling away to grab a pair of shorts just out of her reach. “When did I become Winchester?” 

    Kat sighed and pulled the towel down to rest on her shoulders. Brushing the hair out of her eyes, she fixed Dean with a glare as she whispered, “Oh! I don’t know, Winchester. When you started calling me Katherine? Or maybe when you decided that your brother’s feelings about our possible relationship were more important than mine. Which, by the way, he didn’t seem to be all that upset about yesterday after I talked to him about it in my car. But it’s fine. I’ll treat you two to drinks when you get me home like I promised, and you guys can get back to whatever you have to do. Make sure to bring Sam by occasionally, though. I’m starting to enjoy his company.” Kat got up and snatched her shorts off the ground before sliding her phone into her pocket. She grabbed her room key and car keys and walked out the front door, regret already kicking in.


	16. Escapism

    Kat found a park near the motel, sitting on the back of a park bench by a lake and watching as some ducks and geese swam the stretch of blue water. She felt stupid about what she had said to Dean.  _I swear, I never learn, and my temper never cools_. She watched a mama duck lead her five ducklings along the water. One of them was lagging behind, and the mother duck just left without it. _Wow, if that isn’t a metaphor for my life,_ Kat scoffed. 

    Kat heard footsteps behind her and sighed, “Which one of you is it and how did you find me?” 

    A gravelly voice answered, “Castiel. Dean sent me to find you.” 

    Katherine jumped, almost falling off the back of the park bench as Castiel stood by her. “Shit! Hey, Castiel. Um, you found me. You can tell him I’m alive and I’ll be back in an hour. Bye.” 

    He pulled out his phone and fiddled with it. “I’ll message him. Why did you leave?” 

    “I don’t need to relive this shit, Angel Boy." Kat groaned, frowning at the angel, "Just let me wallow in my own self-pity. I don’t drink like Dean and I…” Kat paused, “What does Sam do when he hates himself?”

    Cas shrugged and sat next to her on the back of the bench, “I think he reads. “ 

    “That sounds about right. Escapism. Don’t have to face it if you are in a different world.” 

    “Isn’t that what you are doing,” he asked, his eyebrow rising. 

    Kat hung her head, “Low blow, Angel Boy. Low, low, low blow.” 

    He leaned forward, elbow on his knees, “It’s the truth. You run or yell. Sam reads. Dean drinks. You are all running away from your problems.” 

    She sighed, “And you’re going to tell me to go back there and face my shit storm with my head held high.” Kat snorted, “Not something I can do. Too much Gunner Pride. Da always said it would be my downfall.” 

    “I knew Donald Gunner, your dad. He was a good man. He had a lot of pride too.” He stared at Kat. “His pride almost cost him everything before your mother came along. Then she was gone, though that wasn’t his fault.” 

    “Good old Mother Dearest," she huffed. "She’s good at building a person up and then breaking them the fuck down.” 

    Castiel laughed, “I don’t know. I’ve never met her.” 

    “Trust me then. I spent enough time with her to last an eternity.” Kat tilted her head when she heard someone calling her name. She looked over her shoulder to see the Impala parked next to her Beauty. She glared at him, “You asshole! You told them where to find me?!” 

    Castiel shrugged and stood up, jumping off the park bench, “Dean told me to find you and tell him where you are. I told you I’d message him.” 

    “So you are his errand boy?” 

    “No. But Dean and Sam are friends. I like to keep my friends.” Cas turned and walked towards Dean and Sam, who were coming at her at a fast clip. “Goodbye, Katherine Gunner. I'll see you later.” 

    She yelled after him, “Don’t count on it, Angel Boy,” before hanging her head and quietly laughing. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Dean stopped to talk to the angel while Sam clapped him on the shoulder and kept walking towards her. Kat breathed a sigh of relief. 

    Sam jumped up to sit on the bench beside her. “So, care to explain why I woke up to Dean yelling your name out our door?” Kat groaned and hung her head. “Come on, can’t be that bad.” 

    Kat looked at him, eyes rimmed with tears. “I believe I told him I would only call him Winchester from now on since he decided to listen to you about my feelings towards him. I think I also insinuated that I preferred your company over his, which was a low blow, but also somewhat true since I can’t seem to look him in the face without wanting to scream at him or cry.” Kat hung her head again, “So you know, par for the course for me. How’s your life turning out? Just as shitastic as mine?” 

    “Well, let’s see. My mother was killed by a demon when I was a baby. My dad was absent and now he’s dead. My brother raised me. My girlfriend was murdered by the same demon that killed my mother. I was soulless for a while...” Sam paused and chuckled, “Want me to go on?” 

    Kat sighed, “What a great life we hunters have, huh? All romantic and shit.” 

    He put an arm around her shoulders, chuckling, “Yeah, we really know how to live.” Kat grinned, leaning into him. “Kat, I know my brother can be an ass, but you have to give him a chance.” 

    “I tried, Sam, but Dean doesn’t seem to want anything with me except sex. He backed off so many times in just twenty four hours. How am I supposed to deal with that? And for how long?” 

    He squeezed her shoulders. “As much as you can and for however long you can.” Sam sighed, “You know, it’s funny. I hadn’t seen Dean that happy in a long time. I honestly was afraid you WERE going to change your mind, and he was going to get hurt. Instead, I butted in and you both were hurt.” He laid his head on Kat’s. “I’m sorry I did that, Kat.” 

    She snorted, “It’s not your fault. We let it happen. I tried to fight him on it. I even convinced him at one point, but then he backed down again and all I could think was, is this what my time with him is going to be? Constantly trying to prove to him that I’m worth fighting for?” She shrugged. “So I decided I was over it. Or, that I would try to be. Fat load of good that did.” 

    Sam laughed, “You know who I was texting all night?” Kat shook her head. “Dean and Nicole. Nicole to ask what the hell I should do and Dean to tell him to not do anything stupid.” He leaned back and caught her eye, “He didn’t, by the way. He went and drank until he was plastered, which is typical Dean. But when women were hitting on him, he turned them down and said he had a woman; they were just having a rough time.” 

    Her eyes went wide before she groaned and covered her face. “I was so mad at him this morning and… Oh God, I’m idiotic.” 

    “You’re not. You’re confused, maybe a little overzealous with your assumptions. But you aren’t idiotic.” 

    “Look Mr. She-Has-A-Hero-Complex, let’s not talk about assumptions.” 

    “Touché,” he chuckled. He dropped his arm back to his side, nudging her with his elbow. “So, you want me to let him come over and talk to you? He’s pretty freaked out.” 

    “What would we talk about? I’m stupid, prideful, constantly on edge right now, and a runner? Not exactly something I want to talk about. You don’t get it. I’ve never had a relationship that lasted more than a month since I was sixteen. I don’t know what I’m doing, honestly. I know what I want, but… ” 

    “Then let him come over and I’ll stay. You don’t have to worry about the other shit yet. Just let him make sure you’re okay.” 

    Kat nodded, trying to hide the brush of tears from her eyes while Sam waved at Dean and Castiel. “Ugh, not Angel Boy again.” 

    “He grows on you.” 

    “Warts grow on you. Doesn’t mean I want them.” Sam burst out laughing as Dean and Castiel finished walking over. 

    “What’s so funny,” Dean inquired. 

    Kat smirked at Sam. “We were discussing the similarities between a certain Angel Boy and a certain fleshy growth on the skin.” Dean snorted. “Apparently, they both grown on you.” Castiel frowned at Kat. “It’s a joke, Angel Boy. I’m not saying you are a wart. Just,” Kat shrugged, “there are certain similarities.” Dean laughed and Kat was happy to see the smile that played across his face.  

    “So, Kat?” Dean glanced at her, eyes wary. “Are we okay?” 

    “Yeah. Still friends,” she said, giving him a sad smile. Dean stared at the ground, shame filling his features.


	17. Return

    Katherine, Sam, Dean, and Castiel made their ways back to the motel, Castiel riding with Kat and Dean and Sam riding together. She and Castiel joked the entire way back from the park. She couldn’t decide if he was gullible or being funny as she drove. He grinned at her as Kat parked outside the motel, the smile causing her heart to skip a beat for a second before guilt flooded her. 

    Kat and the guys had to rush through packing their things before check out. She did the final run through again while the brothers packed the bags into the two cars and Cas supervised. Kat grabbed her knife from under her pillow and found Dean’s ring and skull bracelet on the bathroom sink. After rechecking each room, Kat walked out to her car, spying Dean throwing bags in the back. 

    Kat noticed him reaching under her seat, and her heart started racing, knowing he had to be inches from his shirt hidden there. “Hey, Dean!” His head came up quickly, a dull thump sounding as he banged it on the car. He was cussing and rubbing his head when she reached him. 

     “Sorry, didn’t think you wanted to leave these behind.” She raised her hand and held up his ring and bracelet. 

    Dean looked at his hand dumbly and blinked, “I don’t even remember when I took them off. Thanks, Kat.” He took them from her and, slipping the ring on his finger and bracelet on his wrist, he smiled. “So,” he leaned against her car and raised an eyebrow. “Anything else you want to return?” 

    Kat blushed and looked away, “Take it. It was dumb of me to keep it. I’m sorry.” 

    He picked up the black work shirt she had hidden, looking at it for a moment. “Keep it.” He shook out the shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I’ve got plenty of them and…” He licked his lip, staring at Kat in his shirt. “I want you to have it.” 

    Kat looked down at his hands as they gripped the edges of his shirt. “Dean?” 

    “Look, it’s cool. Now, let’s get you home.” 

    Kat nodded quickly, and he let go of the shirt. He walked over to the Impala and Kat noticed Sam had been watching them. Kat blushed, put the shirt on properly, and crawled into her car. Sam and Dean were standing by the Impala with Castiel while she set up her GPS on her phone. Katherine sighed as she pressed the home button and set up the adapter in her car. She groaned when she thought about the work her vehicle needed. 

    Dean slid into her passenger seat, grabbing the seat belt and buckling in. “Uh, Sammy is going to drive Baby. He and Cas need to make a pit stop in Cedar Rapids.” 

    “You’re letting Sam drive your car by himself?” 

    Kat quirked an eyebrow at Dean, and he laughed. “He’s not a bad driver, but don’t tell him I told you that.” 

    She smirked and turned on the classic rock playlist on her phone. She put the car in reverse, started the journey to her home. She caught a glimpse of Sam and Castiel smiling broadly as they pulled out and she flipped them off, hiding the action from Dean. 

    Dean fell asleep an hour into the drive, and Katherine turned on her Top Hits station on her music app. She messaged Liz to let her know when she would be home and drove for a couple of hours before stopping to fill her tank. Dean ran in and brought out snacks and drinks for them. He put down the road snacks and stood next to Kat while she finished fueling. She walked into the station, paying for the gas while he waited outside. When she came out, Dean was standing next to her Cadillac, watching a man and his son play catch in the park across the street. 

    Kat tilted her head to the side, enjoying the view of the man leaning against her car with his hands in his pockets. She shook off the thoughts running through her head, whistling to Dean. He looked up and Kat tossed him the keys. He snatched them out of the air, smirking at her. 

    “Your turn, Dean. We’ve only have about two hours to go ‘til we get to Peoria.” 

    “You’re going to trust me with your car?” 

    “Yup,” Kat smiled. “Don’t break my trust though.” 

    Dean stared at her, a new intensity in his eyes as he nodded. He opened the passenger side door for her, and she walked over and climbed in. Kat buckled in and watched him walk around the car, his hand brushing across the hood of her Beauty. Kat smiled and looked at the belt around her lap. 

    “Does this mean I get to pick the music?” 

    “Nope, she’s still my car.” Kat cranked the music after Dean turned on the car. She laughed as he groaned at the song that started playing. “Hey Mama” by David Guetta was going to make this car ride entertaining for her. Kat sang and rapped along with Bebe Rexha and Nicki Minaj as Dean pulled out, his face blank as he listened to the lyrics she was singing. 

    “Dean, this is going to be a long two hours if you don’t loosen up.” 

    “Did she just say she gets on her knees and keeps him pleased?” 

    Kat laughed, “Sure did.” 

    He groaned, “So basically, this is another song where it’s porn. No visuals, but the lyrics get it across.” 

    She worried her lip as she thought about it. “I guess so. Though I love the beat, and the lyrics, well, they're kinda hot when you think about it.” Dean gave Kat a look. “Oh! So we’re back to the weird looks. What’s this one for, Dean-O?” 

    “Just thinking. Don’t worry about it.”  

     Kat sighed and leaned back in her seat. She pulled Dean’s work shirt off of her and set it in her lap. Grabbing the spare pillow out of the back of her car, she curled up in the seat, using his shirt as a blanket. She reached over and turned the Classic Rock station back on and laid her head down on the pillow. 

    Dean smiled at her, “I thought it was your car, so you picked the music?” 

    Kat sighed, “I’m being nice. Don’t make me change it to Country.” Dean chuckled and she closed her eyes.


	18. Home

    Kat woke up two hours later to Dean’s hand gently squeezing her shoulder. “Hey, is this your place?” Kat looked out the window to see her tan and white ranch-style home. She smiled when she saw Liz’s husband on her porch, the kids throwing blue and white streamers all over. Someone had put a sign in the front yard that said, “New Godmother to a Baby Boy!”

    "Yup, this is the place.” 

    “Is that a TARDIS mailbox?” Dean pulled into the driveway, and Liz and David’s kids rushed over to the car. 

    Kat laughed, “Yes, it is.” He glanced at her, quizzically. “The TARDIS because my house is bigger on the inside.” 

    Dean chuckled and climbed out of the car as Katherine did the same. The kids rushed over to her, all of them talking at the same time. She smiled and hugged each of them, Dean watching and leaning against the car with a smirk on his face. 

    Kat shushed the kids, “Hey guys! Thank you for the welcome home. Hey David! How’re Liz and Sean?” 

    David came over and hugged Kat, the taller man squeezing her tight against his thick body. “Liz and Sean are doing well. They come home tomorrow.” David gave a pointed glance at Dean before leaning in and whispering, “Who’s the guy?”

    Kat led David to the Winchester. “Dean, this is David. David, this is my friend, Dean. He, his brother Sam, and Nicole helped to get me out of that sticky situation I’m sure you’ve heard about.” 

    David held his hand out to Dean. “Thanks for bringing my wife’s best friend back.” 

    “No problem, David. I’m sure she’d do the same thing for us.” 

    Liz and David’s kids waited patiently to be introduced to the strange man, their eyes glued to his leather jacket. “Dean, these are Liz and David’s kids. The tall boy with dirty blonde hair is Isaiah. He’s 13. The shorter boy with dark hair is Lucian, 10. The tall girl with purple hair is Alecia, and she’s 12. And the girl with blonde hair is Libby. She’s 11.” 

    Dean nodded to each kid as they were introduced. “Hey, kids. Nice to meet you.” 

    Kat grabbed her bags from the car and walked up to her porch, opening her front door and holding it for the stream of kids running in. David followed them in, already yelling at them for touching things. Dean followed David, reaching down to grab one of Kat’s bag and carried it in for her. Kat thanked him and walked through her door and into her living room. 

    Kat’s house was what most would call, homey. Her living room had a large sectional against the wall, a window behind it. The flat screen TV was on the other side. Various pictures were on the wall; most were of Liz’s kids and Katherine's nieces and nephews. Looking straight from the front door was her kitchen. There wasn’t much to the two rooms, but Kat was happy with them. 

    Dean was standing beside Kat, taking in the home. He whispered in her ear, “Doesn’t look like a hunter’s home.” 

    Kat giggled. “That’s the point. But if you look around closer, you’ll see the protections. I even have a demon trap in one of the bedrooms.” 

    He chuckled, and his breath was warm against her face. “I like it.” 

    She ducked her head to hide a smile. “Thanks, but you haven’t seen all of it yet.” 

    “I guess I’ll have to stay to see it all.” Dean put his hand on Kat’s hip, and she startled. 

    “Do you want to stay,” she whispered, watching Isaiah raid her fridge while Alecia and Libby sat at the breakfast nook and talked about movies with Lucian. 

    Dean chuckled, “If you’ll let me.” 

    Kat smirked and turned to face him, “Then I guess you’ll have to be good.” Dean smirked back and bit his lip.


	19. Pictures

    David and the kids stayed for an hour, regaling Katherine with what they had done while she was away. Once they left, she took a deep breath before grabbing her bags and motioning for Dean to follow her. She showed him a hidden doorway in the back wall of the kitchen. 

    “Whoa, very spy-like.” 

    Kat laughed and walked through the doorway and down the steps. “To the right is the laundry room and gun room. Straight ahead is my den. I use it to relax. It’s also where all the research stuff is.” She led Dean into the den and threw her bags on the desk that ran the back wall. 

    “What’s back here?” Dean was looking through a doorway to the right. 

    “There’s a bathroom.” She opened one of her bags and pulled out some of her laundry. “My room is also back there.” She walked through and flipped a couple of light switches. 

    There were no windows in this room, but once the lights flickered on, Kat could see her walk-in closet on the left, the bathroom door beside it. To the right was her bed, made up with a black comforter and grey sheets. She threw her clean laundry on her bed and turned around to go clean out the rest of her bags. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Dean standing in front of a picture of her dad. 

    Dean reached out and straightened the frame, “I almost forgot he had such long hair. He was an awesome guy.” In the picture, Kat’s dad had long black hair that fell in waves onto his shoulders. He had a kind smile and wore a red flannel shirt over a white tee. His blue/grey eyes were crinkled in the corners with silent laughter. “I wish I had a couple pictures like this of my dad and Sam.” 

    “Hold on.” Kat opened her closet and dug into the shelf running the length of the top. She pulled out a large plastic tote and set it loudly on the ground. She rummaged through the bin, shaking her head. “I know they are in here somewhere.” Dean came over and squatted next to her. She sighed, as she searched. “I know I have them.” Finally, she found a photographic sleeve. “Here!” 

    She pulled the pictures out of in the sleeve. “Bobby found these in this house when Dad died.” 

    “This was your Dad’s place?” 

    “Yeah, Bobby bought it after Dad died, and put it in my name when I was eighteen. I paid him back once I could. These pictures were in Bobby’s house for years. Bobby said he liked looking at them, reminded him of better times. He gave them to me a couple of years ago.” 

    Katherine pulled out the pictures, handing them to Dean one by one. One was of John and Mary Winchester, leaning against Dean’s Impala. John had his arm around Mary, and they were looking at each other with so much love in their eyes. Dean ran his fingers over the faces in the photo. Kat handed him the next one. It was Mary, one arm cradling her large pregnant belly. She flipped it over, and on the back, it read, “Mary, nine months pregnant, New Year's Day 1979.” Dean fell on his ass and flipped the picture back over. 

    “That’s me. In her stomach. That’s my mother pregnant with me.” Dean’s eyes were shining, and Kat sat next to him, rubbing his back. She pulled out another picture of Mary and John in front of the Impala again. This time Mary was holding a baby. Dean had his hand wrapped around his father’s finger as John smiled down at him. The next one was John, Mary, and Dean, and his mother was pregnant again. Dean was four in this picture, and he had his hand on Mary’s stomach, smiling wide at his mother as she knelt in front of him, laughing. John stood behind his wife, one hand on her back. Dean grabbed the next one. Sam was a baby, and Dean was holding him, sitting in an armchair. John was next to him, smiling down at his two boys. 

    Kat watched Dean’s face as he flipped through more pictures of his family. Tears were running down his face, and he brusquely wiped them on his arm before he flipped to the next image. Sam was one; Dean was five. They were sitting in the Impala making faces at the photographer. The following was Sam, Dean, and John standing outside a house. Sam was a small child, and Dean was holding his hand while John stood behind them, looking tired and much older. 

    “Who took these, Kat?” 

    “My dad did. Bobby said John and him were good friends until that night at the suite. I guess mine and your mother’s families used to hunt together quite a bit. Your mother introduced Dad and John, telling your father that he was an old family friend. A while after your mom passed, Dad started hunting with John after Bobby recommended Dad help John. My dad started taking pictures of your family whenever he saw you guys.” 

    Dean flipped to the next picture, and a laugh burst out of him. It was John and Kat’s dad, sitting at the table in the hotel suite so many years ago. Kat’s dad had his arm outstretched, holding the camera. John and Donald were making faces in the first one, laughing in the next. Dean smiled through his tears, flipping to the next one. It was Dean, sixteen years old leaning against the couch. He was smirking at the camera as Kat, thirteen, was on the other end, making a face at the photographer. Eleven-year-old Sam was laying on his stomach in the middle, smiling wide. 

    Dean smiled, “He really liked taking pictures, didn’t he?” 

    “Yeah, he did.” 

    The last picture was of Dean, Sam, and Kat again. Dean was still leaning against the couch, but he was laughing at Sam, who had sat up and was leaning against his brother. Sam’s mouth was full of carrots; his cheeks puffed out. Kat was staring at Dean, her smile sweet. 

    Kat pulled the picture away from Dean and put it back in the sleeve. “Dad liked to take pictures of everything he thought was important.” 

    When Kat glanced at him, he was staring at her. “You really did have a crush on me back then?” 

    Kat sighed and put the sleeve back in with her others. She handed him a new photo sleeve. “Here, you can keep those.” She stood up and put the tote back and turned to leave, but Dean grabbed her leg. “Dean, it’s history.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

    He let go of her leg, “Maybe I don’t want it to be history. Or, maybe I want to let history repeat itself.” 

    “We gave it a go, and it didn’t go well.” 

    “We gave up too soon.” 

    Kat sighed and knelt down next to Dean, “Maybe, we need to wait. Let the shit from the last couple days pass before we try again.” 

    Dean sighed, “Okay. Look, Kat. There’s something you should know.” 

    She sat next to him on the floor, “What?” 

    He stared at the picture of him, Kat, and Sam. “It’s stupid, but I liked you too. You were cute and cocky, and you didn’t let me win at anything. It was nice meeting a girl that didn’t let me get away with my crap. You kept me on my toes, made me realize I wasn’t the hot shit I thought I was. It was weird to me. You were so young.” 

    Kat looked at her lap, “I had no idea.” 

    He laughed, “Why would you have? I wasn’t able to ever tell you. Dad never took us back to the room to see you again. After he told us Donald had died on a hunt, we figured you had died too. It was crazy when you told me who you were. I thought you had died, but you were there, sitting at a cheap motel’s table with Sam and me. I thought I had a second chance to tell you and then Sam tells me he has had a crush on you just as long… Well, you know what happened next.” 

    Kat kissed him on the cheek, resting her forehead against the side of his head. “Dean, I promise that we can try again.” She pulled her head back, using her hand on his cheek to turn his head. “I never break my promises, Dean.”

    He leaned in and kissed her softly. He left his lips against hers, whispering, “I promise that I won’t let you forget me.”


	20. Lore

    Kat finished unpacking while Dean explored her home. Once she had put everything away, she spent time answering emails and messages for the bar. She had to wade through bullshit complaints and requests (Topless Dancers! Naked mud wrestling! Bikini KY wrestling! Busty Asian Beauties!) before she found the stuff she truly needed to address. Complaints about supply issues,  the bar being dirty, other dancers relaying concerns that a specific dancer was giving blowjobs to patrons in a back room. 

    Kat sighed. Her business was falling apart without Liz and her behind the helm. She debated on what to do next. Finally, she took out her phone and messaged Liz. 

_“Hey Lovely. It was great seeing the kids and David. I have a question about business. Who did you put in charge?”_

Liz messaged back quickly. _“I left Holly in charge. Is everything okay?”_

_“Nothing you need to worry about, hun. I’m just going to have to talk to her about some issues that came through to my email.”_

_“Forward them to me. I have my laptop and can handle some stuff while Sean is asleep. David can help too.”_

_“I’ll forward the supply issues to you. Thanks, Love. I’ll head in and deal with the rest once the rest of my party arrives at my house.”_

_“OH! Are the hot guys still with you?”_

_“Yes, they are, and shit got complicated. I’ll call you later tonight or tomorrow morning.”_

    Kat sighed and called out to Dean, “Hey, Sexy Pants.” 

    He peaked his head out of her weapons room. “You talking about me?” 

    She grinned, commenting, “I can’t believe you answered to it. Anyway, you wanna go to my bar tonight with the guys? I need to handle some issues there.” 

    Dean smiled, “Sure! You owe me a beer anyway.” 

... 

    Dean was ready by the time Sam and Castiel showed up at Kat’s place. Kat showed the guys to the three bedrooms off of the living room so they could put their things away. While they were busy, she dressed for work. Kat found her favorite pair of black dress pants and a red low cut blouse. She threw Dean’s black work shirt into her work bag and threw on a ruby pendant necklace her dad had given her for her fourteenth birthday that hung perfectly over her cleavage.  

    Looking at herself in a full-length mirror, Katherine was happy with the effect. She shoved her refillable water bottle in her bag, checked her supply of protein bars, and zipped up her work bag, tossing it over her shoulder. 

    Kat went upstairs where the guys had assembled around her breakfast nook. Sam saw her first, whistling a low tune and smiling at her. Castiel tilted his head as if confused and Dean turned around in his chair. His eyes went wide at the sight of her, and he looked her up and down. 

    “Whoa,” Dean murmured. “You look…” He licked his lips. “Yeah.” 

    Kat chuckled and did a spin. “So you guys approve?” 

    “Hell yeah!” Dean grumbled. 

    Sam nodded, “You look great.” 

    Castiel shrugged. “Looks nice.” 

    Kat sighed. “Angel Boy, you really know how to make a girl feel good.” 

    Kat drove Beauty while the guys followed in the Impala. Her bar was in the heart of downtown, close to the riverfront, but far enough away to keep it safe during flood season. She parked and waited for the guys to file out of the Impala before walking them over to the bar and telling them about the places they passed. She waved to the bouncer at the door, Todd, and he let her and the guys go past with a wave. Kat led them down the stairs, smiling as Dean whistled. 

    Her bar, Lore, was her home away from home and she had designed it around storybooks. As you walked down the stairs, lights in the walls made it look like you were walking into the stars and fairytale passages had been written into the walls. When you opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, you opened it into a new world every week. Tonight, the walls were decorated to look like a fairytale forest; deer peeked out from behind trees and unicorns pranced across a field. Kat waved to the two bartenders on duty, Nijah and Spencer. Nijah fixed the hood on her Little Red Riding Hood costume as Spencer fixed the armband of his Aladdin inspired outfit. The bar was made to look like the walls of a cabin. Tables were set up at the back of the room, leaving an open area for patrons to dance. Surrounding the dance floor on three sides was a large stage. 

    “Hey, Spence and Nijah!” Kat called as they walked up to the bar. “These guys are here with me. Treat them well. Charge me for whatever they order.” 

    Spencer leaned on the bar top, “Hey guys. What can Little Red and I get you?” 

     “Spence," Nijah complained before slapping his arm with a dish rag. "Call me Little Red again, and you’re sleeping on the couch.” 

    Kat laughed. “Nijah and Spencer. Keep your love life out of my bar, please. Remember the last time you guys got into a fight here?” 

    “Yeah, I remember." Spencer gave a rueful smile. "If that guy hadn’t grabbed her ass, we’d have had no problems.” 

    “Remember our agreement. You guys can work together as long as I have no more issues.” 

    Spence and Nijah nodded, and Kat turned back to the guys. “Okay, I’ll leave you in these two’s hands, unless you guys wanna see backstage.” 

    Dean smirked. “I think we need the whole tour.” Sam nodded, but Castiel sat at the bar. 

    “Well, if Castiel is good, we can head back.” 

    Castiel shrugged, glancing at Katherine. “I’m not going to stay long.” 

    “Well, I’m glad you came to see it. If I don’t see you again tonight, I’m sure I’ll see you again, Angel Boy.” 

    Kat gave him a quick hug around his shoulders and led the brothers to the back halls. “If you turn right, you go to Liz and my offices. Left takes you to the practice and dressing rooms.” 

    Dean raised an eyebrow, “Dressing rooms?” 

    “Maybe another time, Dean. Everyone’s dressing, and they don’t need two strange men coming in and staring,” Kat laughed. She led them back to Practice Room One where the band was tuning their instruments. “This is where the band practices.” She led them down to Practice Room Two. “And this is where the dancers practice.” The wall they faced was glass. Kat watched as the dancers practiced. Noticing a dancer about to do a lift incorrectly, she threw open the door. 

     “Whoa! Johnny! You’re going to blow out your back if you try to lift Ashlyn like that.” 

    Dean and Sam followed her in, leaning against the glass wall. Johnny and Ashlyn stopped right before he picked her up. Johnny's hand brushed through his brown hair cut close on the sides, the longer top mussed from dancing. His body was pale and thin, but muscular. 

     “Johnny, you have to lift from your knees. Don’t tell me you got sloppy while I was gone!” Kat dropped her bag by Sam and Dean and went over to help the dancers practice. “Johnny lift from your knees. Ashlyn help him out, strengthen your core, ready your arms. Push your shoulders down and back. When he gets you up, hold your body tight. Here,” Kat grabbed another male dancer from the floor. 

    “Gabe, Let’s show them what to do. Lift for six counts.” Kat took off her heeled biker boots and threw them over by Dean. 

     She and Gabe readied themselves as Ashlyn pressed play on a stereo and music filled the room. Kat and Gabe swayed to the music, his dark hand sliding over her lower back. His coarse hair brushed her cheek as his steps forced him closer to her before hers carried her a step away. Kat counted silently in her head, and Gabe held her hips as they moved across the floor. He shifted a hand to her back, and she lifted her arms, shoulders back, arms above her. Gabe bent his knees, and she jumped, Gabe holding her up with ease, his hand holding firm against her lower back and arm steady and sure in the lift. She held firm in the pose, as he spun slowly, Kat’s hair flowing in a graceful arc behind her, her arms following her hair. Slowly, Gabe put her back on her feet and spun her, his hands pulling her hips until she crashed into his body, arms wrapping lightly around him as they took steps across the floor. 

    Kat pulled away and clapped her hands, the other dancers following suit and Ashlyn turned off the music. “Excellent, Gabe.” She turned to Johnny. “Now, I want to see you and Ashlyn do that. Three times, you two. I need to make sure you aren’t going to hurt each other.” 

    Kat went to sit by the brothers while she slipped her boots back on. She stood to watch Ashlyn's blonde hair flowing behind her as Johnny finished the first lift. The other woman was set gently on her feet, her small frame and short stature at odds with the man's height. The partners complete the next two lifts correctly, and Kat grinned. 

     “Much better. If I see any mess ups on that stage tonight, I’m going to start up Day Practices again. Do you understand?” 

     The dancers groaned but nodded, and Kat leaned back against the glass wall, watching the dancers continue the practice. Sam excused himself and went to the bar while Dean and Kat kept watching. 

    Dean leaned into Kat, his arm snaking around her waist as he leaned his mouth down to whisper in her ear, “You looked beautiful in that lift.” 

    Kat blushed, “Thanks, Dean.” 

    “I also like how bossy you got.” His hand squeezed her waist. “It was pretty hot.” 

    She laughed and faced him, “Oh really, now?” 

    “Yeah, babe.” 

    Kat giggled and turned back to the dancers, “Maybe I’ll remember that for later.” Kat heard Dean’s quiet groan and smiled at him. “Now stop distracting me. Right now, I AM the boss.” 

    She winked at him and checked her phone’s clock. She sighed and picked up her bag. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him from the practice room. 

    “The bar is about to get busy, and I need to talk to another worker of mine. I’d recommend you go get that beer I owe you and find a table up front for you and Sam. Ask Nijah to put a reserved sign on it, and you won’t lose it when you need refills.” She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “Thanks for coming tonight, Dean.” 

    Dean smiled and gave her a hug, his strong arms tight around her waist. “Wouldn’t have missed it, Kat.” 

    Kat sighed as she watched him walk away. A hand landed on her waist, and she turned to see the worker she needed to speak with. Holly was a tall, curvy brunette with long, wavy hair. She worked as a manager at Lore when Kat and Liz were busy. 

    “Hey, Holly. I was about to come find you. Let’s go talk in my office.” 

    After her long conversation with Holly, where Kat bumped her down to a bartender, Holly left, and Kat shut the door of her office. She leaned against it and took a deep breath before she pushed out of her lean and went to her bag. She needed to be onstage in twenty minutes to open the show. Katherine smiled and pulled out the black work shirt. She set it down on her desk before pulling out her secret weapon and opening her office door to find Ashlyn on the other side doing last minute stretches. 

    “Ashlyn, I need your help for a little surprise.” Ashlyn smiled and jumped up to help.


	21. Sure

    Ashlyn had been the perfect person to help Kat. The blonde helped Katherine with her makeup, hair, and her new clothes. Now Kat was pacing backstage, hoping that this worked the way she wanted. She was nervous about the surprise outfit change. Her earpiece gave a soft buzz, startling her. 

    “Whenever you’re ready, Boss Lady,” Satoshi, the tech manager said over the line. 

    She pressed a button on the earpiece, “Let’s do this, Satoshi.” 

    Kat heard the music’s volume drop. She took a deep breath, letting the crowd settle before she pushed the curtain aside, stepping out onto the stage. She made her hips sway as she walked to stage right, standing in front of the microphone. Kat raised her hands, and the crowd quieted down further. She saw Sam nudge Dean, who was talking to a male patron behind them. Dean turned to him, and Sam pointed to her onstage. 

    Dean’s mouth fell open when he saw her. Kat dropped her arms, and the crowd let out a tremendous yell, making her smile stretch further across her face. She grabbed the cordless mic off the stand and shimmied to center stage. Katherine knew how she looked at that moment. She had donned her tight black leather pants and kept her biker boots on with their three-inch heel, but she traded her blouse for a plaid corset, cinched tight. Her cleavage was ample, and her waist was tiny as she moved over the stage. She had put the black work shirt over top, leaving it open to show off the prop ax hung on her hip. 

    “Hello, everybody! Welcome to Lore, where the fantasy becomes reality and tonight fairy tales are true! I’m your lovely host, Katherine, the Woods-woman. I’m here to help with any…” She stroked a finger up the handle of her ax, her voice a purr, “wood you may have. And if the dancers do their jobs well, there will be plenty! So dance your hearts out, drink your fill, and enjoy the show!” 

    The crowd cheered loudly, and Kat gave them a small smirk, “First on stage in our rendition of The Little Mermaid are our dancers Johnny and Ashlyn. Please, give them a huge round of applause!” 

    Kat walked offstage, the crowd cheering as she hugged Johnny and Ashlyn before they stepped onto the stage. Kat watched as they started the choreography and smiled. She had missed the rush of the stage and the pounding heartbeat that came with it. Kat sighed and walked down the hallway and through the door to the bar area. She saw Dean and Sam’s table, but Dean wasn’t there. She sighed, worrying her plan hadn't worked the way she wanted. 

    Hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back into a hard body. She heard the scratch of stubble against her hair as the person bent their head down to her ear. Kat reached behind her back, hand brushing the person’s stomach as she grabbed the knife hidden in the waistband of her pants. 

    A hand reached up to grab her wrist and a gruff voice whispered in her ear, “That was a dirty trick you played, Kat. I definitely don’t get to be stabbed tonight.” 

    Kat sighed in relief and let go of the knife, turning to look Dean in the eyes. “It’s not a dirty trick. It’s an outfit.” 

    She laid her hands on his chest, feeling his muscles move as his arms wrapped around her waist under the work shirt. She pouted, sticking her lower lip out and lowering her voice for effect, “What? You don’t like?” 

    Dean brushed his lips against her ear, “Does this mean it’s later?” 

    Kat giggled and leaned up to his ear, whispering, “If you want it to be.” 

    He pressed his hand against her lower back, pulling her in until their bodies touched from chest to groin. “Are you sure,” he asked. 

    Kat shivered at the low tone of his voice. “Yeah, I’m sure.” 

    She laid her head against his chest, glad that he pulled her into a dark corner because she knew her face was bright red. He held her close for a minute, his head resting on top of hers.


	22. Exhaustion

    The night moved quickly for Katherine. She announced the dances when one was scheduled but otherwise, she spent the night talking to Sam and Dean and dancing. She tried to get the brothers on the dance floor, but both just grumbled something and waved the idea away. Instead, Kat danced with patrons and some of her workers, Dean always watching over her. When the DJ switched with the live band, Katherine took her earpiece to Satoshi backstage, her job done for the night. 

    She was plotting how to get Dean or Sam on the dance floor when she bumped into one of the dancers, turning as the dancer tried to sneak past to the back. Kat called out to her, and she stopped, spinning around to smile at her. Britney had a patron with her, and both looked shocked to see Katherine. Brit was an attractive woman. Her thick brown hair reached her hips when it was down. In Kat’s mind, it was her best feature. She had the body of a dancer, little to no chest or backside, but she somehow made it work. Unfortunately, this was not her workday, and she was backstage with a patron. The former was fine. The latter was a huge no-no. Kat remembered the emails she had received and pursed her lips. 

    “Britney, it’s your day off. What are you doing back here?” 

    “I, um, I was showing,” Britney smiled bright and grabbed the man by his waist “I was showing my boyfriend backstage!” 

    Kat knew she was lying. Britney hated being in relationships, and she regularly gave her opinion of them when the other workers talked about theirs. There were also the emails saying a dancer was giving blow jobs to patrons. Emails from several workers stating Britney was doing it. 

    “I’m going to have to write you up for being backstage with a patron. You know that doesn’t fly here.” 

    The dancer pouted, “But he’s my boyfriend. You’ve let Ashlyn bring hers back!” 

    The patron must have been drunk but when she said, boyfriend, this time he gave her a weird look and shook his head, “Whoa. I thought I was getting a blo…” 

    Britney interrupted him, “I’ll get you a beer in a second, sweetie. I want to show you the dressing rooms.” 

    Kat scowled. “I heard there was a dancer giving blow jobs in the back. Britney, I can’t have you using my bar as a brothel. You need to clean out your locker tomorrow afternoon.” 

    Britney gave Kat an angry glare, “So you’re firing me for bringing my boyfriend to the back?!” 

    The patron threw his hands in the air, “I’m not your boyfriend! I want the cheap blowjob!” 

    “Should have picked a less drunk patron tonight," Kat smirked. "Seems he just ratted you out.” Kat heard someone walk into the hall behind her, but when she turned to look, Britney threw a punch at her. Kat’s years of hunting had her reflexes trained. She blocked the girl’s blow. Brit lunged at her and Kat used the girl's momentum, grabbing the front of her shirt and throwing Britney over her hip. The dancer lay on the floor crying, and Kat had never been so happy for Liz wiring the place up with security cameras. Kat knew there were three on her in the back hall. 

    The patron looked upset as he stared at Kat. “Sir, if you go back to the bar, I will have Aladdin or Red Riding Hood pour you another beer.” 

    The patron's face lit up, before he grumbled, “I just wanted a blowjob.” 

    “I’m sorry, sir. We don’t offer that service here. You are welcome to find a lovely young lady to take home, but we don’t allow sexual activities in our bar.” 

    “I’m too drunk to pick up a chick,” he yelled at Kat. 

    She bristled at being yelled at by the man. “I’m sorry that she led you to believe we offer that service. As I said, you are welcome to a free beer at the bar.” 

    A voice came from behind her, “Look, man. Take the beer and rub it out tonight. Come back another night and find a hot lady to give you head.” 

    Kat tried to hide a smile at Dean’s words. The patron gave him a look, sizing up the Winchester, before huffing and walking out to the bar. Kat put a hand on Dean’s shoulder in thanks. She helped Britney off the floor and found Jeff outside the backroom door. Kat handed the girl off to Jeff to escort off the property and followed the patron, who was already at the bar. Kat slid under the hinge on the bar and pulled Nijah over before she could take his order. Quickly, she filled the bartender in on the backroom brawl before she had Nijah pull a bottle of a lesser ordered beer and pass it over to the man. Kat patted her shoulder in thanks and went to check on Jeff before heading to the back. 

    Once Kat had finished writing up the incident report in her office, she sat back in her chair and stretched. The bar was open for several more hours, but Kat felt thoroughly thrashed. She debated calling in her swing manager, Juan. He was a fantastic worker, and the female patrons responded well to him. Kat smiled as she thought about the man's long black hair to his mid-back and his muscular build under his dark tan skin. 

    Kat picked up the phone and called Juan, knowing he’d be awake. Juan agreed to head over and take over the night once he heard about the fight. She hung up and went to lay down on her couch for a minute. Her feet felt like they were slowly dying in the heels, so Katherine slipped them off. She lay on her back, eyes closed, while she mentally ran down her incident checklist. 

    A knock at the door broke her analysis, and she groaned before she got up, thinking _If I didn’t get it right, Liz will let me know._ Kat opened the door to see Jeff blocking the doorway. Jeff was much taller than Kat. At six feet, six inches, he was taller than most people, which made him great for security, and the man was a bodybuilder, so no one wanted to mess with him. 

    “Hey, Boss Lady. There is a guy asking to come back. Nijah said he’s a special guest, but…” He shrugged. 

    Kat smiled at Jeff, “Name?” 

    “Dean. Wouldn’t give me the last night. Said you would know who he is.” 

    Kat laughed, “Yeah, I know him. Bring him back, please and thank you!” 

    Jeff nodded and walked away. Kat left her door cracked and laid back down with a groan. _Legs, bad. Feet, bad. I’m going to have to build up my stamina again._ The thought saddened Kat. She had worked so hard for what she had. It felt like she was failing. She threw her arm over her face and tried to fight back the sleepy tears that stung her eyes. _I’ll get it back. It’ll just take time. No self-doubt today. You and Dean took each other back. It’s a good night!_ Kat smiled at herself and pulled Dean’s shirt tight around her. _It IS a good night._  

    Kat jumped to sit up as someone touched her hair, her arm falling from her face before she went for her knife again. 

    Dean chuckled and sat beside where she still lay on the couch. “It’s okay, Kat. It’s just me. Didn’t you hear me close the door?” 

     “No," she sighed and laid her head back down. "I was thinking and must have spaced out too much.” 

    “Well, good thing I’m not someone trying to attack you!” 

    “How do I know you won’t,” she teased. 

    He laughed, “Typically people don’t think a kiss is an attack.” 

    “You’ve never been forced into a kiss by a drunk man who just got done puking!” 

    Dean looked disgusted, “Whoa. That’s just wrong.” Kat laughed and put her hand on his knee. He smiled and covered it with his own. “You look tired. When can you leave?” 

    “Once Juan gets here, the swing manager. He comes in to save the day,” Kat giggled. “He’s like Superman. Or Batman.” She giggled again. “Wait, is there a Mexican superhero? I don’t think there is. There is only Juan.” Kat couldn’t stop the tide of giggles pouring from her. She made her voice serious and low, “There is only Juan!” 

    Dean smiled and shook his head. “Awesome. Yeah, you need to sleep. Usually, I’m the one that makes the lame jokes.” He brushed the hair from her face, the palm of his hand cupping her chin. 

    Kat stopped giggling and smiled at him. “It was funny and you know it. I like your jokes though. Some of them are groan-worthy, but some are clever.” 

    Dean’s smile got wider, “Oh, you are definitely tired. You just said I was clever.” 

    Kat slapped his arm playfully. “No bullshit, Dean. You are clever.” Her eyes fluttered shut.Dean reached up and ran his fingers through Kat’s hair and she groaned. “I’m never getting off this couch if you keep that up.” 

    “What do you mean?” 

    “That’s how my da would get me to sleep as a small child,” she said as she grabbed his hand and nuzzled it. Dean chuckled softly and Kat felt the couch move as he laid next to her. Pulling her down his body, he made it so she could lay her head against his chest. She smiled and nestled into him. “I think I overdid it tonight with all of the dancing I did.” 

    Dean’s laugh rumbled in his chest, “I’m sure you did.” He ran his hand up and down her back. Kat tried to sit up, and he pulled her back down, “Whoa. Where are you going?” 

    “Where’s Sam? We shouldn’t leave him alone out there!” 

    “Sam’s a big boy; he can handle himself. Besides, I sent him back to your place in the Impala, figured you would need a driver tonight.” 

    Kat relaxed against him again. “Oh. Me needing a driver depends on how much you’ve drunk.” Kat could smell whiskey on his breath. 

    Dean laughed, “I had one beer and a shot of whiskey that some creep bought for Nijah. I stopped drinking two hours ago when I noticed you were starting to get tired and Sam was yawning into his Virgin Daiquiri, which, by the way, I tried. Not bad, but I’ll stick to my whiskey and beer.” 

    Kat hummed under her breath and shifted so more of her body was touching him, leg tangling with his. His head came down and she could feel his lips against her forehead. She missed the rumble of his voice in his chest under her head, so she nudged his side with a finger. “I’m glad you liked it, but I’m going to need you to keep talking.” Her eyes floated closed, “It’s soothing.” 

    She felt Dean give a small laugh more than she heard it. “We need to get you up before Super Juan gets here.” 

    Kat started giggling again, looking up at Dean with a huge smile. “Super Juan. Because there can only be Juan!” Kat stopped giggling. “That makes him sound like a serial killer like he killed all the other superheroes.” 

    He laughed, “I was wondering where Hunter Katherine went. I think we just found her.” He got up and she whimpered as he pulled her up to sit and grabbed her boots. 

    “No boots. They make my feet hurt. I have flats. I’ll get them.” Kat tried to get up, but her body would not listen. “Fuck. I WILL get them!” 

    Dean shook his head, chuckling. “Where are they?” 

    She sighed, “In the bag by my desk. I’ll get them!” 

    “Kat, if I wait for you to get them, we’ll be here all night. I got them.” 

    Dean grabbed the bag and dropped it on the couch, reaching in and grabbing Kat’s ballet flats. He knelt down and slipped them on her feet before he picked up the boots and put them in her bag. Kat stared at him the whole time, dumbfounded by his kindness. 

    “Thank you, Dean,” she whispered. 

    He flashed her a smile, “There’s no need to thank me. I gotta take care of my girl.” 

    “I’m your girl?” Kat blushed. 

    Dean took one of her hands into his. He looked at it, turning it over and seeing the scar she had on the palm. Slowly, he lifted it to him and gently kissed the scar. He looked into her grey eyes, his mouth climbing to kiss her wrist. 

    “Yeah, Kat. You are definitely my girl.” Kat blushed even deeper and nodded, not trusting her voice. 

    Katherine and Dean jumped apart when someone knocked on her office door. She got up slowly and answered the door while Dean moved to sit on the couch. Juan stood on the other side of the door, dressed in a white button-down shirt, partially opened to show his toned chest over his black slacks. 

    “Hey, Kat. Just wanted to let you know I’m here.” 

    She sighed in relief and stepped aside to let Juan through the door. “Thank you for coming in for me. I think I took on too much, too soon.” 

    Her manager smiled at her _._ “It’s no problem, Kat. I didn’t have anything going on. So, what’s the rundown so far?” 

    He turned to sit on the couch and saw Dean. “Oh, Hey.” 

    “Juan, this is my guy, Dean. He’s going to help me get home.” Dean raised his hand in greeting, eyeing Juan’s clothes. Juan turned and stayed standing for the rundown, Kat collapsing into her desk chair as she explained everything that still needed to be done. 

    She finished telling him about the issues that occurred under her watch, and Juan nodded before walking out and waving his farewell. Kat sighed and sunk further into her chair. “Does this mean I have to move?” 

    Dean shrugged, “Your workers might give us strange looks if I carried you out.” He stood up and crossed the room, taking Kat’s hands and pulling her up. His arm reached around her waist, holding her upright for a second. He pushed a piece of hair out of her face before kissing her cheek. “Doesn’t matter to me though. I’ll carry you.” 

    Kat felt a rush of heat through her body, and she tucked her face into his chest. “No, that’s not a good idea. I’ll make it. I’m just going to need a long bath tomorrow.” 

    He laughed at her muffled words. “Can I help wash your back?”


	23. Tease

    When Kat and Dean got back to her home, Sam was in the living room, a book in his lap and TV on. Kat clapped her hands and jumped over the armrest of the chaise on her sectional when she saw what he was watching. She pulled off her flats and tossed them on her bag by the door. 

    Sam gave Dean and Kat a confused look. “How much did she drink?” 

    “Nothing,” Kat and Dean said at the same time, and Kat dissolved into giggles. 

    “She wore herself out. Apparently, she’s a schoolgirl when she’s too tired.” 

    Kat raised an eyebrow at Dean, “I have a schoolgirl outfit in my closet.” Sam’s eyes were wide when he glanced at his brother. 

    “Yeah, she also might not have a filter between her thoughts and mouth. You should have heard her in the car.” Dean closed his eyes and licked his lips. Realizing what he said, he shook his head, “On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t have.” Dean looked back at Kat. “Come on, Kat. I’ll tuck you into bed.” 

    Kat snickered, “Did you say you’d F…” 

    “No! No, I did not. I said I would help you get into bed.” 

    Kat turned back to the TV. “Okay, but after the movie. You can’t not watch Thirteen Ghosts when it comes on!” 

    “Nuh uh. Bed. Now.” 

    Kat raised an eyebrow to Sam, who turned back to his book with a grin. She sat up on her knees, leaning on the armrest with her elbows. She let the work shirt fall open, giving Dean a good view of her corset-enhanced cleavage. “You have two options, Dean Winchester. One, you come over here and keep me warm while I finish watching one of my favorite scary movies or go with option two.” 

    Dean quirked his eyebrow and grinned. “What’s option two?” 

    “Go to a spare bedroom, hop into bed, and Sam and I will finish the movie. I’m finishing this, Dean.” 

    He screwed up his face, thinking over the options. Finally, he groaned and walked around to lay on the chaise next to Kat. Sam snorted with laughter from the corner as she squealed and clapped her hands, laying down on the chaise and using Dean’s chest as a pillow.

    Dean turned to glare at his brother, who was still snickering in the corner, “Shut up, Sammy.” 

    Kat smiled at Sam and, realizing she couldn’t hear very well, sat up and straddled Dean to snatch the remote from next to Sam. Dean’s hands grabbed her hips when she almost fell over, and she grinned at him, waggling an eyebrow. Dean groaned and picked her up, settling her beside him. 

    He whispered in her ear, “Please, behave yourself.” 

    Katherine turned up the volume before she looked up at him and licked her red lips, “Why? Will you punish me?” Dean groaned and grabbed a blanket off the top of the couch, tucking it around her. She turned her face back to the television as Tony Shalhoub’s character’s family explored the estate they had inherited. 

    Sighing, Kat pulled the blanket from between her and Dean and threw it partially over him too. They laid like that for a while, watching the movie. Kat yawned as Arthur jumped through the rings of the machine to save his children and the house shattered. 

    As the movie ended, Dean announced, “Kat, it’s time for you to go to bed.” 

    She yawned again. “I’m good here. Let’s turn on Sleepy Hollow!” 

    “No! You said you wanted to finish Thirteen Ghosts. You did. Now you are constantly yawning. Let me help you to bed.” 

    “Not tired. My body is, brain is wide awake.” 

    “Kat, you need to go to bed.” 

    “Dean, I don’t want to,” she whined. 

    “Babe, you are exhausted,” he whispered down to her. “It’s time to go lay down in bed.” 

    Kat fake pouted and whined, “But Daddy!” 

    Sam snorted as his brother groaned, “Kat.” 

    “Dean!” 

    Dean picked her up off his chest and laid her on the chaise as he got up and stomped into the kitchen. Kat looked at Sam confused, and he gave her a sad smile and shook his head. Kat sighed and got up, bare feet cold on the wooden floors as she made her way into her kitchen. Dean was leaning on his elbow, resting against the kitchen counter and drinking a glass of water. Kat frowned and snuck up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

    “I’m sorry if I made you mad. It's fun having people here who aren’t stuffy old hunters who can’t hang.” 

    Dean stood up and covered her arms with one of his, downing his glass of water. 

    “I’m not mad,” he whispered. “I’m frustrated.” He pulled her arms away from him, causing her to frown. He turned around and pulled her close, arms wrapped around her cinched waist under his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m frustrated because I know you’re tired and you are being a pain in the ass.” 

    Kat sighed, nuzzling her face into his chest. “I am, but only because I want to spend more time with you guys and I know you’ll be leaving eventually.” Kat laid her cheek against his shoulder. “It’s not a fun idea to think about.” 

    Dean sighed and tightened his grip on her. “I know,” he whispered. “But that’s also why I want you to sleep. We’ll be able to spend more time together tomorrow.” 

    “Then let’s go to bed, Dean.” 

    He kissed the top of Katherine's head, and she went to stand at the breakfast nook. On the cherry wood top, she saw the sleeve with his family pictures in it. She smiled and touched the sleeve, the image of John and Mary showing through it. Dean walked into the living room and grabbed her work bag. 

    Kat picked up the sleeve, “Dean, do you want me to put these with your stuff?” 

    Dean stood beside her, glancing at the sleeve. “Not yet, I’m going to show Sam those in the morning.” 

    Sam looked up from the book he was reading. “Show me what?” He stood, using his finger as a bookmark as he came to stand next to Dean. 

    “Family pictures. Kat’s dad took them.” 

    Sam looked at the sleeve, seeing the top picture. “Wow. Yeah, I’d like to see them.” 

    “In the morning, Sammy. I,” he paused and rubbed his face. “Let’s wait for the morning.” 

    “Okay. You guys heading to bed?” 

    Kat smiled and set the pictures down. "Yeah, we are. Sam? What book are you reading?”  

    “I found it on one of the bookshelves in the bedroom I’m using. It’s called Bitten.” 

    “That’s one of my favorites. It’s from the Women of the Otherworld series. The other books are on the same shelf.” 

    “I saw. It’s pretty good. Though, I can’t help but think, if only werewolves were actually like this.” 

    “Yeah, it would make our jobs easier.” 

    Dean wrapped an arm around her, “Let’s get you to bed. You guys can talk about the book in the morning.” 

    “Okay. See you in the morning, Sam.” 

    Sam waved and went back to the room he had claimed as Dean walked over and opened the hidden doorway to Kat’s den. She followed Dean down the stairs and to her room. Dropping her bag by her closet doors, he rubbed the back of his head. 

    “Dean, do you want me to change in the bathroom?” Kat kept her voice low, eyes on her bare toes.

     He sighed, “Might be a good idea." 

    “Are, um, are you staying with me tonight?” 

    “If you want me to, Kat. It’s up to you.” 

    “Please, Dean. I seem to sleep better with you in my bed.” 

    She looked up to see him walk over and take off his work shirt and t-shirt, tossing them on the floor by the closet. She sucked in her bottom lip, nibbling it at the sight of the vast expanse of his chest on display. Dean chuckled at the look on her face. 

    “Not tonight, Kat. You are too tired, and so am I.” 

    Kat looked up at him, feigning innocence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dean.” 

    He laughed. “Sure, you don’t.” He walked by her to the den, smacking her ass when he went passed. “Go get changed, Kat.” 

    Kat laughed and, checking that he was distracted, picked up his tee and snuck into the bathroom. Once inside, she took off the black work shirt, undid the hook and eyes on the corset, and peeled it off of her. Stepping out of her leather pants, Katherine went to her sink and washed off her makeup. She pulled on Dean’s brown tee, foregoing any bra or shorts. Standing in front of her bathroom mirror, she smiled at the sight of her in his shirt and her black lace panties. His shirt came down to the top of her thighs. She decided she looked cute but tired. 

    She stepped out of the bathroom and went looking in her den for Dean. Peeking her head around the corner, she smiled to see him in her favorite armchair, half asleep. He had changed from his jeans into a pair of sleep pants from her closet. She giggled at the sight of the TARDIS on his thigh. 

    “Dean? You coming to bed?” 

    He startled and sat up, “Yeah, sorry.” 

    He stood and stretched. Kat smiled, the sight of his muscles flexing as he moved made her have the sudden urge to rub her thighs together. Images flashed through her mind of her hands on him, fingers caressing the soft skin. 

    “Sorry I took so long in there. Had to wash the makeup off,” her voice low and breathy as Katherine apologized. 

    Dean looked at her and gave her a half smile. “It’s fine. Let’s get some sleep.” 

    He walked over, and Kat stepped back from the wall, letting him get a good look at her in his shirt. His eyes roamed her body before he stood in front of her, hands twitching against his thighs. 

    His voice a rasp as he murmured, “Damn. I think you look better in that shirt than I do.” 

    Kat laughed, “I don’t know. You look damn good in it.” 

    Dean reached out and cupped her face, bending down to kiss her softly. He ran his hand down to her neck, pulling her in close before he deepened the kiss, his tongue gliding over her lips. She parted them for him, his tongue darting in to slide over hers. Kat’s nose was filled with the scent of leather and whiskey, stroking the soft skin on his hard chest. 

    Dean pulled back, both of them breathing heavy. “Bed, now. Sleep.” 

    His rough voice sent pleasant chills down her spine as Kat clutched his hand and led him to her bed, pulling down the covers before climbing in. Kat patted the bed and smiled at him as he crawled in. Laying on his back, he pulled her to his chest, and she cuddled against him with her head on his shoulder, her leg running over his thigh. 

    “Kat, sleep,” Dean grunted, reaching down and pulling her leg up his body. She couldn’t help noticing as her leg brushed against his erection and he winced. His hand tightened on her thigh as he settled her leg over his waist. 

    “Dean,” her voice was soft as she rubbed her hand over his chest. 

    “You need sleep,” he grumbled. 

    Kat ran her hand down his chest before placing it on his thigh. She kissed his shoulder and dragged her nails softly over the material covering his leg. She felt his abs tighten under her thigh, his breath hitching when she slowly moved her hand over his hip and onto the base of his swollen shaft. Heat coursed through her body at the feeling of her hand gripping his thick erection. 

    “Kat.” His warning clear as the hand that wrapped underneath her came up to squeeze her waist. “You need sleep.” 

    “I do, but I’m not okay leaving you like this. Tell me, no, and I'll stop, Dean.” He remained silent, his fingers relaxing, and Katherine gently squeezed his shaft, making him grunt. She trailed her fingers over the outline his thick erection. “Let me help you,” she whispered against his shoulder. 

    He grabbed her leg and rolled over, settling his body on top of her. He pulled her knees up and propped himself up on his elbows over her. She bit her lip as his erection pressed against her hot, wet core and his hips rocked into hers, drawing a moan from her lips. 

    He stilled his movements and grumbled, “Kat, are you sure you want to do this now?” Dean dropped his face to her neck. “It’s okay if you’re too tired.” 

    Kat ran her hands up his back, lightly scratching with her nails. His breath on her neck sent chills down her spine, and a fresh wave of slick coated her panties. She wrapped a leg around his hip, using it to pull him harder against her.

    “Dean, I don’t want to sleep. I want you.” 

    She ran one of her hands up to the back of his neck, feeling his muscles flex and his breath hitch. He grunted and kissed her neck, gently biting the sensitive skin over her pulse. Lifting his head, he caught her lips in an intense kiss, his tongue entering her mouth as his hand slipped under the edge of her t-shirt, sliding up the bare skin of her stomach. Kat gasped into the kiss as his thumb brushed the underside of her breast, his callused hand cupping her breast and his thumb teasing her tender nipple. Kat ran her hand through his short hair, her teeth pulling on his lower lip before releasing it.

    She kissed his collarbone, whimpering, “Dean, I need you now.” 

    Dean knelt between her legs, grabbing the shirt and pulling it off her before throwing it across the room. He leaned down, kissing a trail from her collarbone to her breast, licking and nipping her skin. Kat squirmed underneath him, whining as his tongue circled her nipple. Suddenly, he sucked her nipple into his mouth, tongue flicking over the tip as his hand teased her other nipple, his hand and mouth drawing soft moans from her. She cupped his cheek, pulling him up and leaning in kiss his full lips. 

    Dean chuckled into the kiss, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. His fingers tickled down her side and over her hip, causing her to fidget under him. His hand continued down, fingers trailing over her lace covered folds. He cupped her and gently pressed the heel of his palm against her core. Kat ground herself into his hand as Dean leaned down to suck on her other nipple. 

    Kat reached between them, sliding her hand under the waistband of his pants and boxers to grip his swollen shaft. Dean growled against her breast, pulling away to kneel between her legs again and Kat whimpered as she lost her grasp on him. She leaned up and slid her fingers down his chest, settling above the waistline of the pants. 

    “What do you say we get rid of these pesky things?” She trailed her fingers over the top of his hips, sliding her thumbs underneath the band, running them to the front and pulling down until his tip peeked out. Dean hissed as her fingers brushed the sensitive head. 

    “All you had to do was ask.” 

    He grinned at her and pulled the pants and boxer briefs down, pushing her on her back and kicking them off. Kat couldn’t help but stare at the thick erection, his tip already leaking precum. Dean grabbed her lace panties and pulled them down, Kat lifting her hips to help him get rid of them. She reached down as he leaned over her, brushing her index finger over the slit of his penis, collecting the precum, and bringing it up to her lips. Dean’s eyes were slits as she licked the liquid off her finger, sucking it to be sure to get all of it as he watched. 

    She hummed her pleasure at the taste, rich and sweet like fresh honey, making Kat crave more. Dean leaned down, nibbling her earlobe before trailing his lips down her neck, chest, and stomach. She arched her back, and he smirked, raising an eyebrow. She pouted and squirmed underneath him, hands tracing his spine. 

    “Dean,” she bit her lip, her eyes pleading with him. 

    “You got a taste of me. Now, it’s my turn.” 

    Dean placed his hand behind her knee and lifted her leg, kissing her thigh. He put her leg over his shoulder as his hand slid lazily up her other thigh, his thumb tracing a path over her folds. He kissed her other thigh, and his thumb swept between the lips to circle her clit. Kat gasped, the knot in her belly getting tightening as she fought the urge to rock her hips. He kissed up her thigh, his thumb pulling her apart as his mouth sought her center. Her breath hitched as his lips and mouth latched on, sucking the small bundle of nerves into his mouth before his tongue flicked it gently. Kat reached down, grasping at the back of his head as her hips bucked. He growled, the vibrations causing Kat to mewl. Licking a broad stripe up her sex, Dean chuckled before repeatedly flicking his tongue against her. Her nails raked his head as she arched against him, his hand sliding over her thigh and his index finger slowly pushing into her. His other hand came up her stomach, cupping her breast before his fingers teased her nipple. Kat moaned his name as his finger thrust into her. 

    “Fuck, Katie. So damn tight,” Dean moaned against her, sliding another finger inside of her. Kat’s breathing was ragged as she felt herself on the edge. The feeling of his warm mouth against her as his fingers plunged in and out of her, the sound of his moans against her was too much, and she arched against him as the knot in her stomach shattered. Dean’s fingers worked her through her orgasm, his breath warm on her thigh as he kissed and spoke quietly to her. 

    As she came down from her high, Dean slid back up her body, and Kat caught his lips, tasting herself on them. She moaned at the flavor before she pushed him, flipping them over. Kat slid her body between his legs, pressing against him as Dean reached down and grabbed her ass. She laughed and grabbed his arms, forcing them above his head. 

    “Nuh uh. My turn.” Dean grunted as she spoke and Kat pressed harder on his arms. Speaking slowly, she kept her face inches from his, “I said no. It’s my turn.” Dean smirked before putting his arms behind his head. “Good boy. Keep it up, and I might take it easy on you.” 

    He chuckled, and Kat kissed up his jaw, stopping to nibble on his earlobe. Sucking it into her mouth, she pulled on it gently with her teeth, letting it fall from her mouth. Her lips caressed his ear as she whispered, “Do you know how sexy you are?” Her hands ran up his chest. “How much I’ve wanted to see you like this?” Dean grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the palm. Kat bit his neck lightly, making he groaned. “Hands to yourself or I won’t be nice.” She kissed where she bit, tongue lapping over the skin. He put his hands back behind his head, Kat smiling and kissing down his neck. She nibbled across his collarbone, fingers trailing down his sides before her hands pushed their way back up.  

    Katherine moved her mouth over to kiss his anti-possession tattoo, and Dean groaned as her hand slid down his stomach so grasp his length. She moved her mouth to his nipple, flicking her tongue over it before sucking it into her mouth. She brought her hand to her mouth, licking it before gripping him again. Sliding her hand down the silky skin of his shaft and back up, her thumb drifted over the slit on the head. Dean’s breath hissed out between his teeth and he pumped his shaft through her fingers. Kat kissed across his chest, flicking her tongue over his other nipple. Slowly, she kissed down his stomach, nipping at his abs, causing his breath to hitch and his hips to drive harder into her hand. Kat pressed her hand to his hip, stilling his motions before she moved her hand to the base of his swollen erection. She let her chest slide over his shaft before kissing his hip. Looking into his blown eyes, she stroked her tongue up his shaft. Dean moaned, his arms flexing under his head. 

    Kat kissed the tip before sliding the head into her mouth, moaning at the stretch of her jaw. Dean groaned out her name, and she shivered in delight as the hand at the base of him squeezed softly. She slid his length into her mouth as far as she could, her mouth touching her hand. Tongue gliding over his erection, she pulled back, stopping to trace the head while her hand crept over the rest of his length, her saliva easing the movement. Slipping him back into her mouth, her index finger pressed against her lips as hand twisted and she took most of him into her mouth again. She kept repeating the motion, Dean’s moans and gasps spurring her on as she licked, sucked, and gripped him. Kat gasped when his hips thrust him the rest of the way into her mouth, her hand pushing against his hip to stall him. 

    “Katie,” Dean moaned. “Oh fuck, Katie. Gotta stop, baby. I-I’m gonna…” Kat looked up into Dean’s wild green eyes as she slowly lifted her head, letting him drop from her mouth with an audible pop. She kept her eyes on him while she pushed herself up his body. 

    She kissed him softly and leaned her mouth to his ear. “Mmm, Dean. You taste so good.” 

    “Katie, please.” She closed her eyes at his new name for her, nuzzling his neck. 

    “Hm, you have been pretty good, maybe I can let you have what you want.” She straddled his waist, her hands on his chest propping herself up. She slid her wet folds over his length, biting her lip as his hard shaft rubbed over her core. She looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes, “What do you want, Dean?” 

    He groaned, rocking his hips with hers. "I want what you want, Katie." 

    She smiled and lifted herself off of him, her hand coming down to grip him, positioning him at her entrance. Slowly, she lowered herself on him, breath ragged as she felt herself stretch around him. 

    “Fuck, Dean,” Kat moaned, swaying her hips as more of him crept into her. 

    She paused as her hips met his, her body filled to the maximum, her fingers clutching at his chest. Dean closed his eyes, arms flexing under his head as he grunted. She closed her eyes and moved her hips, feeling herself squeeze around him as the tension in her stomach started to build again. His cock brushed against her g-spot, and she hissed in a breath, sucking in her lip. 

    “Dean, I need you to touch me.” 

    His hands were on her immediately, gripping her hips and tilting them so that his erection rubbed against her in all the right ways.  His hand smoothed over her hip and gripped her thigh, the other tracing her side, fingers brushing against her nipple and making her gasp. his hips moved with her, driving her closer to the edge of orgasm. He cupped her neck and pulled her down to him, lips meeting in a hard kiss that left her gasping. Kat leaned back, his hands massaging her breasts while she pressed her hands on his chest for balance, the tension in her body growing heavy as she moved over him. He leaned forward his mouth latching onto her nipple and his tongue flicking against it. 

    Dean wrapped his arms around her and cradled her as he rolled them over, staying inside her as he did. Her legs wrapped around his hips and she arched her back as he drove into her, his mouth leaving kisses across her collarbone before settling at her neck. He gripped her shoulder from behind, pulling her down to meet his thrusts, pushing deeper inside of her. Kat mewled, her nails raking down his back. Dean hissed as she squeezed around him. 

    “Dean,” Kat moaned, cupping the back of his neck.

    “Yeah, Katie,” his rough voice and his breath against her neck sending a ripple down her spine. 

    “I’m close.” 

    Dean moaned into her neck, leaning back and pulling her with him before he sat back on his heels and settling her on his lap. His hand still gripped her neck, the other wrapped around her to grasp her hip, giving him more leverage as he rocked into her. Kat's arms wrapped around his neck, the sides of their faces pressed against each other. Kat clenched around him, moving her hips against him as he drove into her harder. Dean let go of her neck, hand tangling in her hair as he pulled her into a deep kiss. His tongue plunged into her mouth and her back arched, the tension that had built inside her exploding. She threw her head back gasping as she rode the waves of her orgasm, watching Dean curse and moan her name as he climaxed. She rocked her hips into his as she felt him release inside of her, cock twitching. His arm around her waist squeezed her to him as he thrust into her again before they both stilled, holding onto each other as they gasped for breath. 

    Dean lowered them to the bed, rolling them over, so Katherine was resting on top of him, his arm settling around her back. He brushed the sweat damp hair from her face and kissed her forehead. She laid a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat slowing down as her breathing slowed. Kat wiped the sweat from his brow, running it back and over his short-cropped hair and Dean gently squeezed her waist. 

    She looked up into his eyes with a satisfied smile, and he chuckled, “You think we can sleep now?” 

    “Definitely.” 

    He combed his fingers through her hair and Kat gave a contented hum as she laid her head on his chest. She heard the rumble of his laughter in his chest, and she ran her fingers over his chest, listening to his laughter break off with a sigh. His hands slid from her back and covered her hand on his chest, her eyes drifting closed.


	24. Plans

    Kat woke up on Dean’s chest. She sighed, looking at his hand still holding hers. She brought his hand to her mouth, kissing his thumb. He grumbled and gave her a quick squeeze. She laughed and pushed herself up. He murmured, still half asleep and rolled them on their sides while she pulled the blankets over them. He put his arm under her head, and his other hand floated down to her thigh, pulling it up onto his hip. Kat placed her hand on his face, smiling as he rubbed his cheek against it. She kissed his lips lightly. 

    Dean opened his eyes slowly, “What time is it?” His voice was deep from sleep. 

    Kat looked at the alarm clock over his shoulder, “Early. Go back to sleep. I’m going to make breakfast.” 

    He shook his head and pulled her close to him, “No, stay here.” His stomach grumbled loud enough for her to hear. 

    “I think your stomach would rather I make breakfast.” 

    His hand gripped her hip and pulled her close, his morning erection brushing against her. “Stay, and I’ll make it worth your while.” 

    Katherine leaned up to kiss his bottom lip, nibbling at it gently. She whispered against his lips, “Food, then fun.” 

    Dean kept her close, grinding against her. He propped himself up on his elbow, bringing his mouth close to her ear. “Fun, then food.” He nibbled her earlobe, and the hand on her hip slid down to grab her ass. 

    She whimpered, “Dean, baby. I need to eat.  So do you and so does your brother.” 

    He groaned and rolled onto his back. Kat laughed and crawled on top of him, straddling his waist. “I’ll make it up to you, Dean.” She leaned down and whispered, “How about bacon, eggs, and hash browns for breakfast? Then we can find a can of whipped cream.” Dean grabbed her hips. “I might even be willing to run to the store for stuff to make burgers and fries for dinner and maybe some pie for dessert? What do you think?” 

    Dean dragged a hand through her hair, “Why whipped cream?” 

    Kat giggled, “If I have to tell you, you aren’t using your imagination well enough.” 

    “How did I get such a cool chick,” Dean groaned and cupped her face, bringing it to his and quickly kissing her.  

    Kat smiled at him, “Well, see. What had happened was…” 

    Dean kissed her softly. When Kat opened her eyes, he was staring at her with a soft smile on his face, making her blush, “What?” 

    “Nothing, Katie.” 

    Kat sat up, placing her hands on his chest. “Katie, huh?” 

    “Don’t like it? I can call you something else if it bothers you. Princess?" 

    Kat shook her head, eyebrow raised. “Please don’t call me Princess. I’m a fucking Queen. Besides, I like Katie. No one’s ever called me Katie.” She climbed off of him and the bed. 

    Dean sat up, stammering “Hey. I, um, forgot to ask yesterday. I guess I was distracted. But, uh…” 

    Kat smiled at him, pulling his brown shirt over her head and sitting on the edge of the bed, “If it’s about birth control, you’re in the clear.” 

    “How did you know?” 

    "A confident guy like you only trips over words for certain reasons. Main reason after unprotected sex is birth control. No worries, Dean. I have an IUD. Not going to get pregnant.” 

    “Okay.” He kissed her again. “So, breakfast? Want some help?” 

    “I got it. Get some more sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s all ready.” 

    Kat stood up beside the bed and stretched, arms up and twisting her torso left and right. She felt his shirt slide up, showing her bare cheeks and heard a rustle of bedding a second before Dean’s hand shot out and smacked her on the ass. She yelped and whipped around, seeing Dean laying on his back in a new spot. 

    Katherine glared, unable to suppress her smile. Dean lifted his hands, shrugging and she snorted and bent down to find her panties. He slapped her ass again, but Kat looked up to see him fall back on the bed. She slid the panties on and climbed on the bed, straddling his waist. 

    “I thought you were making breakfast?” Dean’s playful voice rang out as she sat on him. 

    “I thought you wanted to follow my plan. Breakfast, whipped cream, burgers, pie. But I guess you want to make your own.” She felt his hands slid up her thighs, one twisting to brush against the lace at the front of her panties. She bit her lip to keep quiet. A plan had formed in her head, and she knew what she wanted to do. 

    Dean sat up, picking her up and settling her over his hips, his swollen member pressed against her wet folds, the panties the only barrier. “I like my ideas better. Fun, breakfast, burgers, whipped cream covered fun.” 

    Kat gave him a skeptical look, “Really? And who's going to make all of that?” 

    He stopped inches from her neck. Pausing to think, he shrugged. “We can go out if you don’t want. Or I can cook.” 

    She giggled as he kissed her neck, “You cook?” She briefly forgot her plan as his tongue lashed out, painting a line up her neck. 

    He laughed, his fingers pressing into her folds, making her gasp. “Who do you think fed Sammy during his childhood?” 

    Kat gently hugged his waist and whispered, “It was your childhood too, Dean.” He stopped everything, his head resting on her shoulder. She kissed his neck, “I wouldn’t mind tasting your cooking. But my plan says I cook.” She laughed as he leaned back and locked eyes with hers. Knowing he planned on arguing, she forged on, “However, I’m willing to let you help with dinner if we follow my plan. Besides, my plan has pie. You forgot that in your plan.” She gave him a devious smile and climbed off of him. 

    Dean looked lost in thought before he cursed, “Son of a bitch.” He looked defeated as he lay back down for a second before popping his head back up while Kat threw on a pair of shorts. He climbed out of bed, grabbed her by the waist. He turned her around and picked her up before he sat her on the edge of the bed. “Where’s the pie coming from?” 

    Kat thought for a second, “Well, I thought about calling my cousin and seeing if she still has the recipe for my grandmother’s homemade Caramel Pecan Pie. I figured I’d run to the farmers market today and see if the caramel lady is there. She has the best homemade caramels I’ve ever tried. Grandma Rosenow taught us how to swirl the pecans, so there is one on every bite. The house would smell like nuts and caramel for days after she baked one and neighbors would smell it and come over to try to snag a piece. I think she won a couple of prizes for it at some baking contests. Can’t blame the judges, it has an amazing flavor. Nutty, buttery, and a touch of caramel.” 

    Dean groaned and moved around her, falling face first on the bed, and she heard a muffled, “You win.”


	25. Market

    Kat grabbed clothes from her closet before going to the bathroom to shower and do her hair. When she came out, Dean was snoring again, his head buried in her pillow. She giggled under her breath and pulled the blankets over him before heading upstairs to make coffee and grab a protein bar. Katherine was checking that some reusable shopping bags were in her farmer's market bag when she heard a door squeak down the hall. She leaned across the breakfast nook to see Sam rubbing his eyes as he walked out of the bathroom. 

    “Good morning, Sam!” 

    Sam blinked at her a couple of times, “Morning, Kat.” 

     “Coffee is in the pot. It’s fresh. How did you sleep?” She went back to check her bag and pockets. 

    He poured himself some coffee, keeping his eyes down as he spoke, “Good. Had to turn on the TV, though. There was some noise.”  

    She sighed, a blush forming on her cheeks, “Sorry about that, Sam. I’m surprised you heard though. I’ll have to call David to check the soundproofing.” 

    “That room is supposed to be soundproof?!” 

    Kat slid her wallet in her back pocket, keeping her head down. “Um, yeah. It’s supposed to be.” 

    He shook his head and took a sip of his coffee. “Where are you heading off to?”  

    Kat noticed the change in conversation and smiled. “The farmer’s market downtown. Wanted to pick up some things for breakfast and dinner.” 

    “What about lunch,” he leaned against the kitchen counter. 

    “Figured I’d take you guys out to show you around my little city. We could grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant while we’re out. But I didn’t know if that was something you two would be interested in.” 

    “Sounds fun. Want some company when you go to the market?” 

    Kat grinned at him, “I’d love some. I planned on leaving soon though.” 

    “I’ll go get changed. Got a travel mug for this coffee?” 

    “I do, but I think you should leave it. You should try the little coffee stand they have there. It’s fantastic.” 

    “Sounds good.” He downed the last of his coffee walking from the room. “Give me five minutes.” 

    Kat grabbed her bag and checked the key rack on the wall. She picked a set after a moment and sighed. She'd have loved to take Beauty, but there was a rattle under the hood that she needed to check first. Katherine grabbed Beauty’s keys and went out to move her into the large garage in the back. When she came back in, Sam was sitting on the couch, reading the book from the night before. 

    “You ready, Sam?” 

    He looked up and smiled, “Yeah, let me mark my place.” Kat smiled as he pulled out a slip of paper, putting it into the book before shutting it. 

    “Thank you for not bending the page corner. That drives me nuts.” 

    Sam grinned, “That’s book abuse.” 

    She laughed, “Yeah, but you would be surprised how many people do it. Well, let’s head out. I, uh, look. Don’t tell Dean this, but we’re going to take my Prius.” 

    He chuckled and whispered conspiratorially, “You have a Prius?” 

    She shrugged, “It gets great gas mileage and saves me some money. I think Dean would have a heart attack, though.” 

    “Yeah, let’s not tell him yet. But make sure I’m in the room when you do. I need to see his face when he finds out his badass, hunter girlfriend drives a Prius.” 

    She blushed, “I don’t know about badass, but I’ll do my best to make sure you’re there. Let’s head out.” They went out the back door and into her garage. Four cars lined the back wall next to a staircase. “These are my cars. Against the far wall is Beauty. Next to her is Cheshire. He’s a 2011 BMW 6 series 650i. Convertible, of course.” 

    Sam ran a hand over the hood, “Who did the paint job?” 

    “A friend of mine does it as a side job. I keep telling him to make it his main. The way he made the grill look like Cheshire Cat’s smile is perfect.” 

    He walked to the next car, “This is a Mustang, right?” 

    She smiled and ran a hand over the side panel. “Yeah, ’65 Ford Mustang, Candy Apple Red. She’s Cherry Bomb.” 

    He chuckled, “Are they all named?” 

    “Yup. The 2011 Prius is Narcissa. But most of the time I call her MILF.” 

    “Narcissa? Like Malfoy’s mother in Harry Potter?” 

    “Yeah, I have a thing for Narcissa and Draco. A mother’s love making her change her perceptions of the evil man her family follows.” Kat shrugged, “I always thought it was an interesting twist.” 

    “I can see that. But why MILF?” 

    “Well, I get called a MILF a lot when I drive it, even though I don’t have kids. Apparently, a lot of soccer moms have Prius’.” She grinned, “It makes me laugh, so I tend not to argue.” 

    “What’s upstairs?” 

    “That’s my studio. It’s a large area I use for practicing with the dancers or have the band come and work on songs and choreography. It’s not the best, but it’s useful for my purposes. 

     “How do you afford all of this? It’s not like hunting is profitable. Does the bar make that much?” 

    “The bar is doing well, but my dad built most of this. He was in a band, and minor alterations led to my dance studio. The house was renovated by him and some friends. The classic cars were his. Add to that the healthy trusts my siblings and I got from my paternal grandfather and Ta-DA! My little slice of heaven. Trust also paid for my part of the bar.” 

    Sam looked around the garage, taking in the graffiti on the walls that her friends had painted over the years and the tool chests at the back. “This reminds me of Bobby’s, though you have fewer cars and his place has more parts lying around.” 

    “You haven’t seen the parts room.” 

    “Why am I not surprised?” 

    Kat went to Narcissa and unlocked her. “Well, my da and he were best friends, and he took me in for almost four years. Shit happens. Be glad I don’t yell idgit and balls… Anymore. Let’s get to the market. If we are too late, the good stuff is gone.” 

    They climbed into the car, and she hit a button to raise the garage door. As they drove through town, Kat pointed out things to him as they went by. When they arrived downtown, she parked and walked him down by the river, showing him the Spirit of Peoria, a riverboat that ran down the Illinois River. Kat led him around, taking him to where the market took place on the riverfront. 

    She had fun showing Sam around her hometown. She told him stories as they walked the market and got coffees. She chatted with vendors, introducing him to her friends that ran the stalls. They picked up produce and treats, Katherine making sure to grab plenty of caramels and some tomatoes, onions, and lettuce for the burgers and a salad.

    He was drawn to a stand that sold dreamcatchers, flowers, and produce. While he looked, Kat excused herself to grab some ground beef and bacon from a meat vendor two stalls down. She sat and chatted for a while, her friend at the booth a frequent patron at Lore. When Sam met up with her again, he had a large bouquet of wildflowers and a wrapped package. 

    He handed her the bouquet, “I called Dean. We decided we should buy you something. Dean wanted you to have these. I’ll give you my gift at dinner.” 

    Her heart swelled, “Oh, Sam! They are beautiful! Thank you.” 

    “Thank Dean. He told the lady what to put together.” 

    Kat lifted the bouquet to her nose, smelling the lavender and wild daisies. She touched the Queen Anne’s Lace and Cardinal Flowers gently. The stems were wrapped with a soft white ribbon. “Who knew Dean would be good at designing a bouquet?” 

    Sam laughed, “He told her what colors he wanted. She was the one that picked the flowers.” 

    “Well, thank you for thinking of it. I love them. I’ll have to thank Dean when we get back.” 

    “I think he mumbled something about sleep before he hung up." 

    He smiled and walked with her back to the car. They made small talk as they drove back to the house, stopping at the grocery store for whipped cream, eggs, and hamburger buns. As Kat parked in the garage, she and Sam jumped out and grabbed the bags. They walked back in, and she hung her keys up and pulled a vase for her new flowers. Setting the filled vase on the breakfast nook, she arranged the flowers in it and smiled at the results. 

    Sam stood beside her and grinned. “Looks nice.” 

    She nodded and turned around to put the groceries away. He had already started, so Kat pulled the stuff for breakfast and set them aside. She started a new pot of coffee and brought out her pans. He stood by the nook and put the present next to the vase. 

    Kat turned and, looking at the present and the flowers, walked to stand by the nook. “You guys didn’t have to do that. I mean, you got me out of that nest, I repaid in part with a night of fun. Now you buy me flowers.” Kat shrugged, “How do I repay that?” 

    “You let us stay here and are feeding us. You're also talking about taking us on a tour of Peoria. We're getting a vacation. Flowers and a gift are the least we can do.” 

    “Doesn’t equate. You guys and Nicole SAVED me. I’m going to have to spend my life trying to repay you.” He went to say something and Kat interrupted him, “That’s what you gave me, Sam. My life.” 

    He ran a hand through his hair as two strong arms circled her waist, “You both are right, in different ways.” Kat held Dean’s arms to her and shook her head. “No, Katie. Hear me out. Yeah, we helped saved you, but like I told David yesterday, you would have done the same. You repaid us with some fun; it adds up fine because that is about what we would have given you. We are getting a vacation from hunting. Flowers and a gift are what we can do to repay you for that.” He kissed her cheek, “I think we’re pretty even right now.”

    “Let’s agree to disagree.” She walked over to the stove and checked breakfast before coming back to the bouquet. “There is something about that bouquet…” 

    They looked at it, and Dean replied, “It looks nice, your boyfriend bought it…” 

    Kat tilted her head, thinking, “No. Well, yes. Both are correct and thank you very much for it. But there is something else.” 

    Dean sat at the table top and pointed to the food, “Bacon’s going to burn.” 

    She jumped and ran to the stove, pulling bacon and starting the eggs. She worked on breakfast while she thought. Sam and Dean sat at the nook talking about Sam and Kat’s morning. She pulled plates, forks, coffee mugs, and glasses and placed them in front of everyone’s seats. Something about the flowers seemed familiar. She put the finished food on the table with the freshly brewed coffee and orange juice. She sat next to Dean while the guys thanked her and went about doling out the meal. 

    Dean laughed, “Sam, you going to eat anything but eggs?” Sam sighed and took some more eggs. “Try the bacon. It smells amazing.” 

    She lit up, “That’s it!” 

    Dean and Sam jumped, “What the hell, Katie.” 

    “What you said, the smell! That’s why it smelled familiar.” She grabbed the vase and combed through the flowers. She smiled and held up three items. “Sage, Sweetgrass, and Lavender!” 

    Dean looked puzzled, “Awesome. And?” 

    “They are used in smudge sticks by different Native American tribes. Sage clears negative energy; Sweetgrass is for healing, purification, and to bring in positive energy. Lavender is calming.” 

    Sam shook his head. “Lavender isn’t usually used by the tribes.” 

    Kat put the stems back into the vase, “True. At least, none of the tribes I know of do. Lavender was native to Europe. But Lavender is used by many people who have appropriated the culture.” 

    Dean shrugged, mouth full of food, “So?” 

    She laughed, “So, didn’t anyone teach you not to talk with your mouth full?” Sam snorted and started eating his eggs. “So, It’s weird that she would add sage and sweetgrass to a bouquet. They're dried, so they were meant to give off their scent more. Strange that Kanti would add them to a bouquet." 

    “Do you know everyone at that market?” 

    “Most of them. Kanti just opened her stall this year. I noticed the dream catchers she made and stopped to talk to her about her tribe. It turns out her mother left the reservation when she got pregnant by a white man. Her grandparents had disapproved of the pregnancy, and the only things Kanti knew were what her mother taught her. Even that was little because her mother wanted to forget her heritage.” 

    Dean gave her a mischievous look, “White man?” 

    She laughed and showed the underside of her arm. “Permanent tan, dear. Da was a quarter Blackfoot, surprised you didn’t know. My siblings, white as snow. Me? Lightly tanned forever. Weirdly, I got my father and paternal grandmother’s eye color, who was white. Besides that, it's the words Kanti's mother used to describe her father.” 

    Kat picked up her fork and started eating. She wasn’t all that hungry after the snack and coffee but figured she needed the extra calories for the day she had planned. The brothers gave each other a meaningful look. Sam cleared his throat and took a drink of coffee. 

    Dean pushed his empty plate away and leaned back, “So you don’t like the flowers?” 

    Kat gave him a wide-eyed stare, coughing as she accidentally inhaled a bit of egg. Dean smacked her back a few times, and she took a drink of her coffee. Wiping her streaming eyes, she caught her breath. 

    “Dean, I love them! I was saying it’s strange that she added them. Given the month I’ve had, the sage and sweetgrass are a welcome addition. Plus, finding sage is always funny to me since it’s my middle name.” 

    Dean kissed her on the cheek, “Good. But I didn’t know that was your middle name.” 

    Dean got up and put his dishes in the dishwasher, and Sam snorted. “What are you laughing about Sammy?” 

    Kat turned and noticed he was wearing her TARDIS sleep pants again. She giggled and shared a sly look with Sam. Dean crossed his arms over his bare chest. 

    “Dean, baby. Those pants have a saying on them that you didn’t notice.” Dean looked at the pants and, noticing the saying on the back, gave her a quizzical look. “It says, ‘Biting is excellent. It’s like kissing - Only there is a winner.’”


	26. Shower

    Kat grabbed her wallet and phone, snatching the Mustang’s keys off its key hook. Dean was still getting ready, and she wanted to get the Mustang out before Dean found out about MILF. Katherine ran downstairs to grab a shirt to go over her tank top and heard her shower running. The door was open, and she was barely resisting the urge to peak when Dean’s voice rang out. 

    “Hey! Is that you, Katie?” 

    Kat leaned against the doorjamb. “Yeah, Dean.” 

    “I couldn’t find your towels. Could you grab me one?” 

    She felt delicious chills run down her body as she thought of Dean stepping out of her shower, dripping wet and naked. “You sure you need one,” She asked before she could stop herself. 

    Banging her head against the jamb, she heard the shower turn off, and she peeked in to see Dean stepping out. _Oh, that is way better than I imagined. Toned, taut, and fucking glistening._ He saw her peeking, and she hid. 

    He chuckled and sauntered up to her, “Like what you see, Katie?” 

    She sucked in her bottom lip, nibbling on it. “I’m not complaining.” She looked him over, pausing for a second on his dewy, half erect manhood. She looked up to see a wicked glint in his green eyes. “It’s top five on my list of Hot Dean Sightings.” 

    He grabbed her hips and pressed her into the doorjamb, “Only Top Five?” He brushed her hair off of her shoulder and brushed his lips up the column of her neck, stopping at her ear. “What’s number one?” 

    Kat swallowed and rasped, “Last night, watching your face as you came inside of me.” 

    Dean growled and nipped her neck, “Maybe we can have a repeat before we leave?” He moved closer, bringing his wet body up against hers, “You’re going to have to change clothes now anyway.” 

    She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, “I think your brother would be upset if he had to listen to us again instead of going on an adventure.” She grabbed his firm ass, “But maybe later we can grab the can of whipped cream that I stashed in the fridge.” She ran her fingers up his back, drawing a shiver from him. She leaned in and kissed him, bringing his lip into her mouth. 

    He groaned, fingers weaving through her hair. Kat wrapped her leg around his hips, pulling him hard against her. He grabbed her bare thigh, sliding his hand up and under the trim of her shorts. Dean made a frustrated noise when he couldn’t go any further and pushed away from her, breaking the kiss and unbuttoning her shorts. He knelt down and slid her shorts and panties off her legs before grabbing her leg and putting it on his shoulder. His mouth was on her in seconds, fingers sliding inside of her as his mouth sucked and lapped at her. 

    Kat covered her mouth to smother her loud moan. She put her free hand on his head, running her fingers through his damp hair. She watched him devour her, eyes half-lidded as he thrust his fingers inside of her. Katherine could feel his fingers crook, pushing against the sweet spot inside of her. Her orgasm was building as his hot mouth broke away, his tongue dancing circles around her clit. Her breath came in tiny gasps, and she could feel her leg starting to shake, threatening to give out. 

    Dean withdrew from her, standing up and kissing her hard. His tongue thrust into her mouth as his hands gripped her hips, pulling her shirt up. He pulled back, pulling her shirt over her head and throwing it into the bathroom. He scooped her up, carrying her into her bedroom and laying her on the edge of the bed. He stepped between her legs. 

    He leaned down, kissing along her jaw. “Sam can get as upset as he likes. I’m only stopping if you tell me no.” 

    Kat shook her head. “Please, don’t stop.” 

    Dean grunted and pulled her hips to the edge of the bed, his hard shaft sliding between her wet folds and over her sensitive clit. They both gasped, clinging to each other as he slowly slid himself back and forth between her folds. Dean pushed his chest up, a hand going between them to position himself at her entrance. He entered her slowly, and her back arched as his hips met hers. She panted, her body contracting hard around him, drawing sharp breaths from him. She grabbed his shoulders tight, her body tensing and rebelling against the invasion. 

    “You okay, Katie?” He cupped her cheek, drawing her grey eyes to him, his face etched with worry. 

    She nodded. “It's just… Fuck, Dean. You’re big.” 

    He smiled down at her, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. “Tell me when you’re ready.” She put her hand over the one on her cheek. She slid her hand down his wrist, grabbing hold and moving it down her body to her clit. He took the hint and slowly rubbed small circles around the tiny bundle of nerves. Her body started relaxing, Dean’s fingers easing the stiffness in her body. 

    “Okay, now," Kat moaned. 

    He leaned back, slowly easing out, stopping, and sliding back in. His fingers kept working her clit as He hooked an arm under her leg, pulling it up before leaning into her. She put a hand over her mouth again, moaning and pushing her hips into him as he slid back into her. 

   Her words came out in a smothered gasp, “Faster. I need faster.” 

    Dean grunted, “Tell me when you’re going to…” He broke off with a moan, and she nodded. 

    Dean leaned forward, pushing her hand away before catching her lips in an intense kiss. His tongue thrust into her mouth as he picked up his rhythm. The change in position opening her up more and his fingers moved, hand coming up to massage her breasts through her soft bra. He pulled the cup of her bra down, fingers seeking out her nipple. She moaned into his kiss as his fingers teased her delicate flesh. His thrusts drove him deep inside her and Kat was close to her release. 

    “I’m going to…” 

    Dean groaned and pushed back, sliding out of her. She whimpered, and he grabbed her hips, turning her over. He pulled her hips up, and Katherine folded her legs underneath her. She curled her back, letting her look at him as he watched her. 

    He ran a hand over her back, cupping her ass, “You’re so beautiful.” 

    He slapped her ass and she gasped. He slid his length into her again as he rubbed his hand over the red spot forming on her backside. His thrusts were quick and hard, their hips meeting with an audible slap. Kat reached between her legs, rubbing herself as his fingers grasped her hips, pulling them back. Dean lengthened his strokes, slowing down and pushing deeper into her. He fell forward onto her back, and she reached back, her hand cupping the back of his head. His breath tickled her neck as he gasped with each thrust. He ran his hands over her sides and breasts, one sliding between her breasts to grab her shoulder, the other sliding between her legs, replacing her hand. He leaned back, pulling her with him. 

    His thrusts were short, and she used her legs to lengthen them, helping him glide out and then impaling herself on him again. She rolled her head back at the sensation of Dean against her back, his cock sliding in and out of her, and his fingers helping to coax her orgasm from her. She arched her back, earning her a gasp from Dean as she pressed her face against his neck. 

    Kat gasped as her body started to slip over the edge, “Dean!” 

    He grunted and pulled out again, Kat crying out at the loss again. He chuckled and pushed her forward, making her crawl up the bed. He flipped her over in the middle of the bed and crawled between her legs. 

    She wrapped her legs around his waist and held his head in her hands, groaning, “No more stopping.” He chuckled and slid into her again. She pulled him down and kissed his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. “Please, baby. I can’t take anymore.” 

    Dean kissed her, his mouth pulling her lip into his mouth before he nibbled it. His hips were driving hard into her and she moved her hips to his rhythm. He wrapped his arms around her, grabbing her sides and pulling her down to meet his thrusts. Kat moaned loudly and wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel the tension building in her stomach again, hard and fast. 

    “Dean,” she gasped as he drilled into her. “Fuck, that’s perfect.” 

    Dean moaned his agreement into her hair. He slowed down, but his hand shifted from her side to her shoulder, giving him leverage. Kat hid her face in his neck as he pulled her down harder, the slow pace making her feel every inch he plunged into her. She kissed him from neck to shoulder, taking small nips at his skin and making his breath hitch. Dean pulled his arms from under her, and he pushed himself up on his arms. 

    He brushed the hair from her face. His voice was a raspy whisper, “It’s my turn to see my favorite thing.” He put his hand above her shoulder, using it to hold her in place. The other traveled down her breast and stomach, a fingers rubbing small circles on her clit. Kat felt like she was going to explode and closed her eyes on a low moan. Dean’s voice was commanding as he whispered, “Katie, look at me!” Kat’s breath caught in her throat at the command. Her eyes were half-lidded as she looked into his. He quickened his pace, and she ran her hands over his chest, nails scratching along his sides. 

    Dean’s fingers quickened as he groaned, “Come for me, baby. Come for me now.” She cried out as her body obeyed his command, tightening hard around Dean’s shaft. She fought to keep her eyes on his as his fingers and hips slowed, working her slowly and prolonging her orgasm. She watched as his release struck, his mouth falling open in a low moan. Her hips matching his slowing pace, she stopped as his hips stuttered. They watched each other slowly come down from their ecstasy, Kat drinking in the sight of him. Dean closed his eyes and laid his forehead against hers. His breath coming fast, he put his hands above her, and he stopped moving. 

    She kissed him softly, and he smiled. Pulling her against him, he rolled onto his side, bringing her with him. Kat kept her leg tightly around him, wanting to keep him inside her longer. He ran his hand up and down her side, stopping to trace her tattoo. She placed her forehead on his, still trying to catch her breath.

    Dean smiled at her, “Worth making us late?” 

    “Oh, definitely.” 

    Kat heard footsteps on the stairs and groaned. Dean pulled her tight against him, grabbing a blanket and throwing it over them. The steps stopped at the doorway to the bedroom. 

    Sam’s voice was awkward, “Um, You guys done yet?” 

    Dean grumbled, “What do you want, Sam?” 

    “I, uh, was going to pull out the Mustang for Kat, but the keys aren’t there.” 

    Kat called, “I have them. I’ll be up there in a second.” 

    Sam sighed, “You should also know, David and Liz stopped by.” 

    She blushed, “Please tell me Liz left.” 

    Sam laughed, “Yeah, I told her you and Dean were, um, busy. She used the bathroom though, so she might have heard some of it. She, uh, came out giggling and said something like, at least one of us is getting laid.” 

    Kat covered her face and groaned, “I’m never going to hear the end of this.”

    Dean laughed, “Alright, Sammy. Give us a minute, and we’ll be up there.” 

    They listened to Sam’s footsteps retreat before Kat untangled herself from Dean. They got up and grabbed clothes. Kat smiled as Dean passed her and ran his hand across her back on his way to his bag. She grabbed more clothes from her dresser and walked towards the bathroom to clean herself up. As Katherine passed him, she grabbed his arm and kissed his cheek. Dean chuckled, and she continued on her way. As she came out, he was walking in, and he grabbed her and kissed her. Kat grabbed her keys, wallet, and phone from her old shorts. She put them in the pockets of her new jean shorts and straightened her tank top. Grabbing the work shirt she was bringing with; she went upstairs to face Sam and pull out the Mustang.


	27. Explore

    When Kat went upstairs, Sam was at the breakfast nook reading again. She waved at him and went out to the garage. By the time she pulled the Mustang from the garage, Dean and Sam were on the back porch, talking. She made sure to close the garage before she called them over. 

    Katherine patted down her pockets again, making sure she had everything she needed. Dean was circling her ’65 Mustang, looking it over and touching its body. She smiled when Sam got in the backseat. 

    “You sure you don’t want to sit up front?” 

    “No, I’ll let Dean have the front. He’ll want to check out the interior too.” 

    Kat laughed and yelled out to Dean, “Dean! Get in already. You can inspect later!” 

    Dean gave her a wicked smile, and she blushed, but he got in and started inspecting the interior. Kat looked at Sam, and they both rolled their eyes. Kat threw the car into reverse and pulled out of her driveway. She made her way through town. She pointed things out to the guys but mostly answered their questions. They ran out of questions as she pulled into their first stop. 

    Dean looked around confused, “What is this?” 

    Kat smiled, “My happy place.”  

     She stepped out of the car and walked to the edge of a large hill. Below was a view of the Illinois River and its valley. The trees on the valley were varying shades of green, and the bright blue river snaked in front of her. 

    Sam stood next to her, “Whoa. That’s beautiful.” 

    Dean wrapped an arm around her and smiled, “Yeah, it is.” 

    “I come here after bad hunts. It helps to remind me that there is still so much beauty in this world, despite the horrible things we see and hunt.” She shrugged, “It makes me feel better.” 

    Dean and Sam nodded. They stood there for a while before climbing into the car again. 

    Dean buckled in, “So where next?” 

    Kat laughed, “Well, I thought I’d take you guys to my next favorite place.” 

    Kat pulled out and drove back the way they had come. She turned down a twisting road before turning into a parking lot. She got out, grabbed a backpack from the back, and started stretching. 

    Sam gave her a confused look, “Why are you stretching?” 

    “We’re going on a hike.” 

    Dean looked around, “So exercise?” 

    She nodded, and Sam commented under his breath, “Didn’t you guys get enough of that last night? Or this morning?” 

    She stood and slapped him on the back, “Yup, but you didn’t.” 

    Sam groaned, and Dean chuckled, “Awesome. Let’s go, little brother.” 

    “Don’t worry, Sam. I didn’t bring you here for just exercise. You’ll like it.” 

    She led the guys to a walking path beside a small building and surrounded by woods. She pulled on Dean’s work shirt she brought with and led them down different trails, explaining various items along the paths. They walked up and down steep hills and through prairie grass. Dean walked beside her whenever he could, his hand slipping into hers. Kat had them squat down when a baby deer ran across a bed of wildflowers; it’s mother right behind it. She kept them at it for close to an hour, exploring the wooded area.  They took a break, sitting on a bench while Kat pulled out water bottles. She sat listening to the animals and Dean and Sam talking. Sam groaned at jokes Dean made, and Kat laughed at the two brothers. 

    Dean put his water bottle back in her backpack and stood, stretching. “This place isn’t so bad.” 

    Sam smiled widely, nodding, and Kat leaned back, “Well, Sam told me to take you guys to places I enjoy. I love the outdoors. I like walking in the woods when I don’t have to find some monster hiding in them.” 

    Sam grinned, “So is everything outdoor themed?” 

    Kat stood, stretching, “No. Figured I’d take you downtown since Dean didn’t come with us this morning. Then we can drive around, and I’ll show you some sights again. If you see something you want to check out, we’ll stop. Or if there is a store you want to visit. I left it pretty open-ended.” 

    They started back to the car as the brothers talked about various places they wanted to find. A couple of wild turkeys strolled in front of them on the way back, and Dean made a joke about it ("Dinner, anyone?").  

     Once they got back to the car, Kat took them downtown and to the riverfront. They walked around, talking about the history of Peoria. When they left, she drove them around the small city. Sam had her stop at a bookstore, Dean at a gun store, and Kat stopped at a car parts place to grab some items for Beauty, Dean promising to help her fix her car later. 

    By the time they got to her home, Kat had to rush to get her pie cooking and dinner started. Sam and Dean stayed in the kitchen, helping in their own ways. Dean took over making the burgers and fries. Sam was always there to grab something she needed from the pantry or to read something from the recipe Kat had gotten from her cousin. Kat made a large salad and made sure to add different kinds of lettuce to it along with shredded rainbow carrots, green peppers, and onions. She pulled her pie out just as Dean was serving the burgers and fries. 

    “Hey Katie,” Dean called as she set the pie on the counter to cool. “What’s this green stuff by the salad?” 

    “Homemade Avocado dressing.” He made a face, and she giggled. “I have others in the fridge. It’s good though. Try it.” She pulled a butter knife out and dipped it in the jar of dressing. She swiped her finger across the blade and licked her finger clean. “Mm, perfect.” 

    Dean grabbed her finger and used it to swipe dressing off the knife before swiping his tongue over it, “It’s good. I’d rather have the burger and fries, but it’s good.” 

    “Well, Sam said something at the farmer’s market about liking healthy food, so I made the salad for him and me.” 

    Sam looked up from his book, “You did?” 

    “I’m not going to make you eat something you won’t enjoy fully. I may be a bitch sometimes, but not to my friends… Usually.” 

    Dean laughed, “Usually?” 

    “Oh, I can be a snarky bitch, sometimes just downright rude. But I try to keep my friends, so I ease them into the crazy slowly. You guys kinda got the crash course.” 

    Sam laughed and put his book down. Everyone sat at the nook and Kat gave everyone a plate and fork. She served everyone, giving Dean a little salad, a burger, and fries. She loaded Sam’s plate up with salad and a burger and gave herself salad, a few fries, and a burger. 

    She took a bite of her burger and smiled, “Whoa. Dean, this is good! Thank you for making them.” 

    Dean smirked, “I told you I could cook.” 

    Sam thanked Kat for the salad, and they ate in silence for a while, enjoying the food. As she was finishing her plate, Kat got up and checked her pie. Deciding to give it a couple more minutes, she settled into her chair again. Dean smiled at her, and she saw he had mustard on his cheek. She laughed, wiping a finger over his cheek and licking it off. Dean’s smile turned mischievous as Sam got up to put his plate away. 

    Kat whispered to Dean, “There is no way you could go another round.” 

    “We’ll see about that.” 

    “Maybe we will.” 

    Sam sat back down, bringing the pie over. “I think it’s done.” 

    “Yeah, let me grab the frozen yogurt and whipped cream.” Dean raised an eyebrow, and she whispered in his ear, “I bought a few cans.” He laughed, and she got up to grab the items and a knife. She cut a couple of slices, serving them on new plates and gave herself a scoop of frozen yogurt. 

    Sam slid her gift across the table, “Open it before you forget.” 

    She nodded, licking caramel off her fingers before grabbing the gift. “Okay, you guys start eating before your frozen yogurt melts. 

    Dean groaned when he took a bite, “Damn. That’s good pie.” 

    Sam laughed, “It’s good.” 

    She smiled at them both and opened her gift carefully, feeling the thing inside shifting as she picked it up. She gasped as the wrapping opened, a silver necklace laying against the wrapping. A small thunderbird pendant hung from the chain when she picked it up, and the different stones inlaid sparkled in the light. She thumbed over the turquoise, onyx, coral, and mother-of-pearl, taking in the way they made up the parts of the Native American legend. 

    She smiled at Sam, clasping the chain around her neck and admiring the pendant as it lay on her sternum., “It’s beautiful! Thank you! 

    “Kanti said you liked silver jewelry and gravitated to thunderbirds and wolves. I’m glad you like it.” 

    “She's right. Thunderbirds represent power and strength and wolves are associated with loyalty, strength, courage, and success at hunting. Considering our jobs, those are the creatures that I try to keep around.” 

    Dean chuckled, “Makes sense.” 

    Kat went to take a bite of her pie, the sound of wings distracting her as Castiel popped into her living room. “Dean. Sam. I need to talk to you.” 

    Sam set his fork down and led the angel to his room. Dean sighed and pushed his plate away. He got up and stopped by Kat, kissing her on the cheek. He left to talk, and she sat at the nook taking small bites of the pie. Her stomach was in knots, worry gnawing at her insides. Her phone went off, and she picked it up. 

 _Nicole: I might have a case. It’s in Tennessee. Wanna take it?_  

_Kat: What’s the case? The guys are still here, but I can see if they want to come with. Tennessee isn't far._

_Nicole: Bringing The Winchesters on a case. I won’t be surprised if the beasty runs at the mention of their names._

_Kat: LOL! I hope not. That means tracking it down again!_

_Nicole: I’ll forward the info. Let me know what you decide._  

    Kat was looking through the file Nicky had sent her when she heard Sam’s door open and footsteps. She looked up to see Sam walk out, rubbing the back of his neck. Castiel had his usual blank face, but Dean looked pissed. 

    “Everything okay, guys?” 

    Sam looked uncomfortable, “We, uh, have a case.” 

    Kat looked at her phone, “Okay.” 

    Dean grumbled something under his breath and walked over to her, “Come with me.” 

    She gave him a puzzled look, “Okay?”


	28. Leaving

    Dean brought her down to her den, sitting on the couch and wringing his hands in his lap. Kat sighed and leaned against his side. He stayed silent for a while, just wringing his hands and sneaking looks at her. 

    She kissed his cheek, “We knew you would have to leave at some point, Dean.” 

    He groaned, “Yeah.” 

    Kat put her chin on his shoulder, “Just didn’t think it would be this soon?” He nodded, and she laid her head on his shoulder, “Me either.” 

    He wrapped his arm around her. “How is this going to work?” 

    “What do you mean?” She frowned. 

    “I mean, we’re hunters. We never stay in one place very long. You have a home, and I have Bobby’s. They're not exactly close.” 

    “Two states and 8 hours. I know, Dean.” 

    “We just got here. I’ve had a day to relax and get to know you more, and now Cas shows up saying we are needed. It’s bullshit.” 

    “If it makes you feel better, I have a case too. I was going to ask if you guys wanted to come too, but yeah.” 

    “Where’s the case?” 

    “Tennessee.” 

    “Opposite direction than we are going. Fuck, Katie. This blows.” 

    “When do you leave?” 

    “Cas said we’re needed now.” 

    Kat nodded, speechless. Dean got up and went to her closet, grabbing his bag. He dropped it by the staircase and knelt in front of her on the couch, pulling her into his arms. She slid off the couch and held onto his shoulders. He kissed the side of her head and laid his head on her shoulder. She hid her face in his shoulder, her mind flashing with images of Dean and Sam injured. 

    “I’m sorry, Katie,” Dean mumbled and kissed her shoulder. 

    She had to swallow the lump in her throat, “Me too, Dean.” 

    “Maybe after the case you can come visit all of us at Bobby’s?” 

    “I’d like that,” she murmured. 

    She ran her hand up his back and into the hair at the nape of his neck. He pulled back and sat on the floor, grabbing her and tugging her onto his lap. 

    “What if…” He whispered, “What if I can’t come back? What if you can’t?” 

    “Then we’ll have to save each other.” She pulled Dean’s forehead to hers, “And we will, Dean. We’ll come back.” He nodded, “Besides, we have two cans of whipped cream to use.” 

    “Damn right, we do.” His voice was soft as he chuckled.  

    “And we have phones.” She kissed his forehead and looked into his green eyes, “Phones with cameras.” She winked. 

    Dean pulled her body flush against his and gave her a slow kiss. Kat sighed into the kiss and put her hands on the sides of his head, holding him to her. He ran a hand up to her hair, cupping the back of her head. His lips moved over hers slowly, and she tried to memorize how it felt. Her breath hitched as her mind caught up to the fact that this could be their last kiss. 

    He pulled away and wiped the tears running down her face. “I’m sorry, Dean. I couldn’t hold them back.” 

    “It’s okay, Katie.”  

     He held her against him, tucking her head into his shoulder. She held onto the sides of the work shirt he was wearing. He ran his fingers through her long hair, the feeling making her calm down.

    Kat pulled back and kissed his forehead. “Call me. Text me. Fuck, mail me something if you have to. But let me know you’re okay. Deal?” 

    “Deal.” 

    She stood up, reaching a hand down to Dean. He took it and stood up. When she went to take it away, he held on tighter. They walked over, and he opened his bag one-handed and handed her one of his jackets. 

    “I’m going to want that back. So you have to have it if I see you again.” 

    Kat flinched, “Not if, Dean. When. When I see you again, I will bring it.” 

    She put the jacket over her arm, and they walked upstairs. She let go of Dean’s hand and excused herself. She ran down to her room and searched her jewelry box. Finally, she found what she was looking for, and she ran back up, grabbing Dean’s arm. She pulled him away from Cas and Sam and into the kitchen. She took his hand and placed a ring in it, the silver band shining in the bright kitchen. The rings surface was engraved with an anti-possession symbol on the top. 

    “Here, now you have to bring that back to me.” 

    Dean turned it over and saw the engraving on the inside. “Gunner?” 

    “It was my dad’s. Well, It was my grandfather’s, but I remember it as Da’s. It’s silver, and Da had it engraved with an anti-possession symbol. I know you have the tattoo, but yeah..” 

    Dean slid the ring on his left ring finger and smiled at her. “I’ll do my best to give it back to you, Katie.” 

    She kissed him on the cheek and walked over to Cas and Sam. “Cas, you take care of these guys. I mean it, Angel Boy. I will hunt your ass down.” Cas nodded, and she heard Dean's chuckle come from behind her. 

    She went to Sam and hugged him, standing on her toes to reach his neck. “Take care of yourself.” She swallowed and whispered in his ear, “Do your best to keep Dean alive, please.” 

    Sam hugged her back, “I will. Take care of yourself!” She nodded, not trusting her voice. 

    Dean walked over and put his hand on her lower back, “Get your ass home in one piece, Katie.” 

    “You have a hunt, “ Sam asked. 

    “Yeah, a small town in Tennessee is having problems. Sounds like a shifter to me, but I’ll have to look into it further.” 

    Sam gave her another hug, “Be careful. Call us if you need anything.” 

    Kat nodded, and Sam grabbed his bag. Dean threw his bag over his shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. She leaned against the breakfast nook and watched as they left, waving goodbye. She went out on the porch and watched them drive away. After they were gone, Kat clenched her fists. _Please, let them be safe._


	29. Hunt

    Kat was staking out a house in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. She was positive this case involved a shapeshifter, and she knew he was targeting a young blonde woman’s family. She had tussled with it when he went after the teenager’s grandfather, but it had gotten away from her. The shifter had already killed four people, the teen’s boyfriend, her two best friends, and, yesterday, her grandmother. 

    It had been three days since Dean and Sam had left her house and she had left on this hunt. Dean messaged her regularly, and she was happy to hear from him every time. She wanted to message him now, but she needed to keep an eye out.

    Kat leaned back in the seat of her Prius, Narcissa. She had just seen the teenager. She was walking into her house. Kat waited, it wouldn’t be long until the shifter would come. The teen’s parents had left at Kat’s request, heading to a relative’s home in the Great Smoky Mountains. 

    Katherine grabbed her silver knife and gun with silver bullets. She put the firearm in her waistband and the knife in the holster at the small of her back. She checked that she had an extra clip of silver bullets. Taking a deep breath, she watched again. Kat had given the teen a panic button that Kat’s brother had designed. When pressed, the button would send an alert to Kat’s phone. 

    Kat perked up when she saw the teenager’s dad walk towards the house. She checked the video feed on her phone. _Damn, I’m glad Gary is so damn good with tech._ She watched as the shifter opened the door. There it was, eye flare. The shifter walked in, and Kat jumped out of her car. 

    Kat strolled to the back of the house, not wanting to draw attention. She opened the back door slowly, listening to what was happening inside the house. She could hear the teen talking, the words unclear. She snuck through the kitchen and peeked into the living room. 

    Shifter was talking to the teen, who was rubbing the pendant/panic button Kat had given her. Kat pulled her gun and stepped into the room. 

    “Karmin!” The teen jumped and tried to run, but the shifter grabbed her. Kat had her gun pointed at the creature’s head, but Karmin was now in the way. “Let her go.” 

    He laughed, “Put your gun down and I will.” 

    Kat was about five feet away from Karmin and the shifter. She weighed the chance of getting to the shifter in time. She knew he wanted to kidnap the teen. He'd made that clear the day before. 

    Kat nodded and slowly placed the gun on the floor, kicking it backward and into the kitchen. “Now, let her go.” 

    The shifter smiled, “Stupid hunter.” He ran his knuckles down Karmin’s face. “How about I take care of that bitch before we run away, dearest?” The girl whimpered, shivering. He turned her around and punched her in the stomach. 

    He crouched, launching himself towards Kat. Katherine pulled her knife and held it in a tight grip. Their bodies crashed together, causing them to fall to the floor. Kat plunged the knife into its back. He gasped, and Kat pulled the knife out and stabbed him higher on his back, hitting his spinal cord. The shifter groaned, and Kat pushed him off of her. She stood and watched the life leave his eyes. 

    She ran to Karmin, noticing a puddle of vomit on the floor. Checking her over, Kat decided the teen needed a doctor. She was in severe stomach pain and had a rapidly developing bruise. Kat called Karmin’s mother and told her the situation. Her parent’s agreed to come home immediately and Kat picked up the too thin teen and carried her to Narcissa. 

    Kat stayed with the teen until her parents arrived. She had lied to the doctors about what caused the injury, and the doctors didn’t press. Kat went back to her motel room and laid on the bed, exhausted after the parents' questions. Her body ached fiercely, and her mind was weak after little sleep. 

    Kat groaned when her phone went off in Dean’s jacket across the room. She crawled out of bed and grabbed it. When she laid back down, she read the message, unable to keep a smile from forming on her face. 

_Dean: How’s the hunt going?_

_Kat: Just finished it up. Shifter tried to take the girl like Sam said he would. He’s been salted and roasted now._

_Dean: Nice! How did the girl fair? How are you?_

_Kat: Girl’s in the hospital. Suspected internal bleeding after the shifter punched her in the gut. I’m sore, but breathing, naturally._

_Dean: I’m glad you’re safe. Hope the girl gets better. I miss you._  

    Kat looked at the phone in shock at the admission Dean had never said before then. 

_Dean: Uh, sorry. Did I freak you out?_

_Kat: No. Okay, a little. But I miss you too. I was just shocked you sent that._

_Dean: Haha. I was a little worried to send it._

_Kat: I’m glad you did. So how is your hunt going?_

_Dean: Still working on it. Sam’s out checking a few leads._

_Kat: Need any help with the case?_

_Dean: We’re good. We know what we’re after now. What are you doing?_

_Kat: Laying in bed giving my muscles a break._

_Dean: Please tell me you are naked._

_Kat: LOL! No. I’m fully clothed. I only had the energy to peel off your jacket before I collapsed on the bed._

_Dean: You’re wearing my jacket?_

_Kat: I have been. It’s warm and smells great._

_Dean: Really?_

_Kat: Definitely. It smells like this awesome guy I know. He’s pretty badass and incredibly sexy. (Not to mention amazing in bed.)_

_Dean: Sounds like you like him._

_Kat: I do. As I said, he’s a great guy._

_Dean: I don’t know how awesome he is. He left you alone._

_Kat: Dean, you had to leave. You had a hunt. That’s part of what makes you impressive._

_Dean: Yeah, but I want to see you right now._

_Kat: Well, that’s easily fixed._  

    Kat got up and grabbed Dean’s jacket. She had a sudden thought and took her shirt and pants off. She put his coat on and laid in bed. She positioned it around her so Dean could see her bra’s front clasp, but her breasts were covered by the jacket. She pulled it away from her stomach, letting him see the top of her panties. She held out her phone, putting the camera in selfie mode. She smiled and took the picture. Sending it to Dean, she bit her lip as she waited. 

_Dean: That’s not fair._

_Kat: What’s not fair, Dean?_

_Dean: That you are laying there looking so sexy and I can’t touch you._

_Kat: More reasons for you to come back to me._  

    Kat nibbled her lip when she saw what Dean sent. He was laying in a bed, his shirt off and his left hand on his chest. She saw her ring on his finger, and she smiled. 

 _Kat: Now that is sexy._  

    The next picture Dean sent was too much for Kat. He was still in bed, but his pants were gone now. His hand had traveled down and was laying on his erection. Kat licked her lips, unable to think of anything but wanting to be in that bed. 

_Kat: Now THAT was unfair._

_Dean: So was yours. All I want to do is be in your bed, kissing down your beautiful body._

_Kat: I wish you were too. Because then I wouldn’t have to be touching myself. I could be touching you instead._

_Dean: Tell me about what you’re doing._

_Kat: I’m running my hand down my chest, brushing my fingers over my breasts slowly. Cupping my breast now and teasing my nipples through my bra._

_Dean: Take your bra off and don’t stop._  

    Kat unhooked the front of her bra, she laid back down and took a picture of herself holding her breast, thumb playing with her nipple. She snapped a second one of herself; her hand was sliding down her stomach. Her fingertips were just under the waistband of her panties. She smiled and sent them off to Dean. 

_Dean: Damn it, Sam is back. Fuck those pictures are hot._

_Kat: Damn it, Sam!_

_Dean: I’m so sorry, Katie. I have to help him with something. I’ll call you the second I can._

_Kat: It’s okay, Dean. I’ll talk to you later. Be safe._  

    Kat rolled over onto her stomach and groaned. She pulled the blankets over her and put her phone on the bedside table. She stared at it, hoping it would ring, but knew it wouldn’t be tonight.


	30. Alone

    Kat smiled and swayed while holding the little baby. He was so beautiful, and Kat couldn’t help but love him. She cooed at him when he started to fuss in her arms. She bought him up to her shoulder, patting his back and singing softly to him. When he finally settled, Katherine set him in the small bassinet in the living room. He pumped his fists, rebelling at being put down. Kat rubbed his belly, and he calmed again as she sang softly to him until she was sure he was asleep. 

    “You're a natural at that.” 

    Kat smiled up at Elizabeth. “You have to know what they like. Boobs, movement, food, sleep, comfort, and their mother. I can do most of that.” 

    “Sounds like a lot of men I know.” 

    “True but they add in sex.” 

    Liz laughed, “Movement, sex, Sounds about the same to me.” 

    Kat laughed and rocked Sean in his bassinet, “Yeah, I guess they are similar.” 

    “Still no word from Dean?” 

    Katherine winced, “No.” 

    “How long has it been?” 

    “Four months. He left my place six months ago. He was messaging me regularly for the first couple of weeks. Then he slowly stopped messaging or calling. Last I heard from him was four months ago.”

    “Ouch. I say you hunt him down and kick him in the shins.” 

    Kat gave her a sad smile, “Would if I could. I’m a little busy at this point, and he's good at hiding his tracks.” 

    “I’m sorry, Kat, but do you think he got hurt?” 

    “He’s alive. Sam still talks to me. He’s called me a few times for help with cases they were working or just to talk. I can tell he hides it from Dean though. He’ll get quiet sometimes. He’s even suddenly hung up.” 

    “I’m so sorry. I know you liked Dean.” 

    “Liked? You sound like you think that’s changed.” 

    “Mostly, I think you should move on. You have to see Dean’s avoiding you, and that’s not okay.” 

    “I know he is. I know I should move on. It’s hard though,” Katherine sighed. 

    “I know it is, but I want you to try. For your happiness, try.” 

    Kat stood up, stretching. “I will, but I have to go. I need to get the bar ready for Harry Potter Night.” Kat shook her head, “I can’t believe you convinced me to do a Potter night.” 

    “Hey! It’s a sold out event. Thank your lucky stars I thought of it.” 

    Kat hugged Liz and rubbed Sean’s belly, “You know, you make adorable babies.” 

    “It’s a gift.” 

    Kat laughed and grabbed Dean’s jacket off the back of the couch. Liz didn’t know where the jacket came from and Kat wasn’t about to tell her. She left Liz’s house and drove to Lore. When she walked in, she saw the decorations were complete. 

    The bar was decorated to look like the Great Hall from Harry Potter. Long tables ran the length of the sitting area, and electric candles had been strung overhead. Nijah and Spencer were in school uniforms. Nijah was a Ravenclaw and Spencer in Slytherin. The costumes looked perfect. 

    The dancers were practicing their routines, and Katherine sat and watched. When each dancer had performed their routines, she went to her office and changed her clothes. She walked to Practice Room Two and stretched out her limbs. Today was going to be her first performance since her capture all that time ago. She was nervous, but she knew her body had healed and her muscles were better than ever. 

    Kat looked up as her dance partner walked in. Scott had been hired a little over three months ago, and he was turning out to be priceless. The tall dancer had studied almost as many dance types as Kat. He was quick at picking up choreography, and his partnering skills were top notch. The female patrons responded well to him, and most of the female staff did too. His hair was dark brown, cropped short on the sides and back and long on top. Kat had noticed his bright blue eyes the first time she met him, reminding her of a particular angel's. Tattoos covered his chest and forearms, the artwork accentuating the muscles underneath. 

    “Hey, Scott. You ready to practice?” 

    He flashed her a stunning smile, “I’m always ready to partner with you, Kat.” 

    Kat blushed and finished her stretches. “Well, put your bag down, and we can start the dance. I’m having some trouble with the steps during the second chorus.” 

     “Well, let’s see if we can fix that before we open.” 

     He set his bag next to the stereo and pressed play. The opening of Orgy’s “Spell” began and he jogged to stand across the room. As they worked through the steps, Kat stumbled during the second chorus and Scott grabbed her waist before she fell. Kat huffed and brushed her hair out of her face, frustrated.  

    “This is so frustrating. I know the move, but I keep screwing it up!” 

    “Come here,” Scott held out his hand, and when Kat took it, he pulled her close to him. “You’re over thinking it.” He combed his fingers through her hair while swaying with her. “Think about what we're portraying. You are a witch, and you have put me under a spell. You want my soul, and I’m slowly fighting it by romancing you.” Her hand on the small of her back moved to her hip. Grabbing it, he moved his face close to hers. “You can do this, Kat. You’re an amazing dancer.” 

    She licked her lips, glancing down at his lush mouth. His lips quirked on one side, and he slowly moved his mouth closer. She closed her eyes and gasped as Dean’s face popped up behind her eyelids. She pushed away from him and turned around. 

    “Shit, I’m sorry, Kat. I must have read you wrong.” 

    “No,” Kat turned around and rubbed the back of her neck. “You didn’t. It’s just; I have a guy I was with.” 

    “You were with?” 

    “Well, yeah. He ghosted on me. For two months, he was there. Then he kinda disappeared.” 

    Scott shook his head and sat down, stretching. “Then he’s a fucking idiot.” 

    Kat sighed, “I guess. I know that I’m not over it yet though.” 

    He stared at her, “Well, let me know when you are.” He stood and picked up her hand, holding it gently. “I’ve been interested in you since I saw you. So let me know, okay?” 

    “I will. But, um,” Katherine stared at her feet. “Let’s get back to the dance. We need to get this down.” 

    Scott gave her hand a light squeeze, “Keep out of your head. You’ll get it.” 

    He pulled her to the middle of the floor, and they waited for the song to restart. Kat took a deep breath as the song ended, waiting for it to reset. Scott let go of her hand, and they got into position. As it started, Scott began his steps, and Kat waited for her cue. 

    Her steps came more natural, and Scott led her through the choreography. The second chorus went by, and Kat didn’t even notice. Scott distracted her from it by making a face at her, and she performed the moves flawlessly. They finished out the song, and Kat giggled as he completed the last step. The move was meant to look like Kat fainted while Scott pulled the magic out of her. He was supposed to be very serious. Instead, he had his eyes crossed. Scott pulled her back up, and they chuckled over it. 

    “Well, you got through the whole song with no issues. Told ya you could do it.” 

    “I was too busy laughing!” 

    They practiced the dance until they had to get changed. Kat ran to her office, grabbing her costume and dressing in her private bathroom. She stepped in front of the mirror and laughed. Liz and Juan had found the costume ideas online. Kat was dressed to look like a character named Bellatrix. Her outfit was a long black, lacy dress. She had laces up her sleeves, and the shoulders were open and lightly laced to look like they had been ripped. 

    She looked into her office as Ashlyn came in. “Oh! I need help with my waist cinch and hair if you don’t mind.” 

    “That’s why I’m here. Loose tie on the cinch?” 

    “Loose enough that I can move. Want the curves and the movement.” 

    Ashlyn came over and helped her finish her costume. “I saw you and Scott practicing.” She waggled her eyebrows and Kat blushed. “Why didn’t you kiss him? He’s hot!” 

    Kat sighed, “Because I can’t seem to get over Dean. Because I’m an idiot.” 

    Ash pulled on the laces of her cincher. “Hmm. I think the best thing for you would be to let him kiss you. You’d know pretty quick if you want to get over Dean. No point in pushing on if you aren’t ready and no point not pushing forward if you are over it and just feeling guilty for wanting to move on.” 

    Kat waited for Ash to finish tying and nodded. “You’re the only person who has said that. Everyone else just tells me to get over it. 'He hasn’t contacted you, so he must want an out.’” 

    “Hard to get over someone you’ve had a crush on for so long. I’m still half in love with my ex. It’s why I won’t push myself into another relationship. That man could melt my heart with one smile.” 

    “I know what you mean.” 

    Ash smiled at Kat in the mirror. “That smile will follow you for a while. Move on when you’re ready, but if you get an itch, scratch it. It might help you make the decision.” 

    Kat laughed, “Did you just tell me to go have mindless sex with someone?” 

    “Girl, get it when the getting’s good.” 

    Once Ash finished her hair, Kat and her went backstage. Kat brought her phone and set up a group message. She debated adding Dean to it but decided to anyway. She sent out a quick post. 

_Kat to Liz, Sam, Nicole, David, Gary, Kelly, Dean: Getting ready to go on stage for my first opening performance since returning. Nervous as HELL, but I have a great partner, and I’ve got my good luck charm stashed away. Fingers crossed!_

Kat sighed and set the phone in front of her so she could see if anyone sent something back. She began stretching out her muscles again. Her phone went off, and she smiled as the messages poured in. 

_Liz: You’ll do great! No luck needed. Love Ya!_

_Nicole: Good luck! Let me know how it goes._

_Gary: Best of luck, Little Sis!_

_Sam: Good luck, Kat._

_Kelly: Craig, Alan, and I are cheering for you even if we can’t be there, Big Sis!_

_David: The older kids all say good luck. Sean says, “AHHH!!”_  

    Kat knew Dean wouldn’t say anything, but she waited a couple of minutes anyway. Feeling loved by her friends and family, Kat stood up and stretched out her back. The other dancers were stretching, and Kat saw Scott step backstage. He looked at her and winked and she felt herself blush bright red. She was thinking about going over and talking when her phone went off again. She squatted down to read the text. 

 _Dean: You are beautiful, and you'll be amazing. No need for nerves, Katie._  

    Kat stared at her phone, not believing what she saw. She picked it up and reread the message, falling with a loud thump onto her ass on the floor. Kat’s chest ached, the pain so intense she pulled her knees up, curling into a ball. 

    Ashlyn noticed and came running over. “Kat? KAT?! Are you okay?” 

    Kat couldn’t respond. Her breath was coming out in tiny, sharp gasps as the pain throbbed. She handed Ashlyn her phone, and the blonde read the messages. She groaned and sat next to Kat, pulling her into a hug. 

    “Oh, Kat. He’s talking to you again.” 

    “Do you understand what this means? He has his phone. He never called. Never responded to any of my messages. He gave up on us. He gave up and he never even told me he wanted to. He took my dad’s ring, and he left.” Kat looked at Ashlyn, panicked, “He’s never coming back, is he?” 

    “Kat! He never said any of that. Maybe he has a reason for being gone so long. Maybe he can talk to you later. Look! Let me write something back. You can read it before I send it.” Kat nodded, dumbly. 

 _Kat: Thank you all for the well wishes. I appreciate them more than you know. Dean, could you call or text me later. I’d like to talk to you._  

    “Does that look okay?” Kat nodded, and Ash hit send. “There. Now, let’s get you off this floor and ready to go on stage.” 

    Ashlyn eventually got Kat off the floor. Dean never messaged back, though. Kat took a couple of deep breaths. The emcee was warming the crowd up, and Kat knew she only had a couple of minutes before she had to dance. She put her phone on the stage sideboard. 

    Scott came over and hugged her. “We're going to be great. Forget whatever is on your mind right now and just move that gorgeous body.” 

    Kat went to respond, but the emcee was calling them onstage. She took a deep breath, grabbed Scott’s hand, and pushed through the curtain. There was no time for thoughts about Dean and her. It was time to dance. 

    Before long, Kat and Scott stepped off stage, and Scott picked her up in a hug, swinging her around. Their dance had gone perfectly, and she couldn’t help but want to celebrate too. 

    “You were amazing! I knew you could do it!” 

    Kat giggled and hugged him back. He set her down and walked away to get changed for his next dance. She picked up her phone and walked to the dressing rooms, grabbing a new costume. She didn’t have another dance for a while, but she wanted to be ready. She walked to her office and set the outfit down, sitting at her desk to play on her phone while she waited. She leaned back in her office chair, her phone's alert light blinking.

  _Dean: I knew you would be amazing, Katie. I’m sitting at the bar, talking to Spencer._

    Kat couldn’t breathe, her mind blank as she reread the message.


	31. Surprise

    Katherine walked from her office to the backroom door, pausing as her hand touched the door. She had changed into her schoolgirl uniform and Slytherin tie, her hair falling in curls on her shoulders. When Kat opened the door, Jeff grabbed it and held it open, congratulating her on her performance as she walked through. She touched his arm in gratitude before looking over the crowded bar room and seeing Spencer leaning on the bar top talking to a man. 

    Kat knew it was him. She didn’t have to see his face, she knew. She wanted to cry, whether from happiness or sadness, she wasn’t sure. She reached down and checked her outfit, fixing the skirt and loosening her green and silver striped tie. She ran her hands through her curled hair. Taking a deep breath, she started walking over. 

    Spencer nudged Dean and nodded towards Kat. She smirked as Dean turned around. His hair was a little longer, and he looked like he was in rough shape, a cut under his eye standing out even from across the room. She could see the scruff of a beard on his face. He gave an excited grin, and Kat ducked her head with a sigh. 

    Dean was leaning against the bar, kicking back a shot. He looked at her, noticing she didn’t return his excitement and gave her a sheepish smile before setting the glass back on the bar. She could feel a small smile forming on her face and leaned on the bar next to him as Spence walked away.

    “Long time, no see, Dean. Shit, long time, no see, texts, calls…” 

    Dean smirked, his voice lower than she remembered, “It’s been a crazy six months.” He ran his hand through his hair and turned, “Damn, you look amazing.” 

    She frowned, “You’ve been so busy you can’t even send me a text to say, hey, I’m alive?” 

    Dean groaned and grabbed the shot Spencer had just filled, shooting it down quickly. “I wish I could explain right now, but it’s a long story.” He lightly ran his fingers over the hand she had resting on the bar top, his eyes following the action. “I’ve missed you. 

    “Dean, I’ve missed you too, but you could have said something.” 

    Dean brushed the hair from her neck, her ring shining on his finger. “I know. I’m sorry, Katie.” 

    “You missed me, but didn’t call? Do you understand how frustrating that is to hear?” 

    “Yeah, I do. That’s why I’m here instead of just calling or messaging. I know I fucked up. Let me talk to you and explain why I couldn’t call or message, and you can decide what you want to do.” 

    She sighed and grabbed the hand that was stroking hers. “Come with me.” 

    He nodded, and she led him back to her office. When she closed the door, she let go of him. In the light of her office, she could see the stress marking his face. His shirt was messy, the flannel over top wrinkled. His eyes had a sense of sadness to them when he looked at her, and his shoulders slumped. She huffed as she leaned on the door. 

    “Come sit with me on the couch. You look like shit.” 

    “Well, gee. Thanks, Katie.” He brushed a hand over his hair and sat down. 

    She smiled at him, “Don’t get me wrong, you’re still handsome.” He gave her a rakish smile, “And obviously you know it.” 

     He chuckled under his breath. Kat sat next to him, drawing her legs up and turning to lean back on the armrest and face him. Dean turned towards her, looking her over before turning his head. 

     Clearing his throat, he mumbled, “Um, Katie. Skirt.” 

    Kat blushed and tucked her skirt between her legs, hiding her panties. “Sorry.” 

    “I wasn’t complaining, just wasn’t sure if you wanted me to see that when you’re angry with me.” 

    Kat sighed and laid her chin on her knees. “I’m not angry. Not really. I’m more confused than anything. Why don’t you explain?” 

    Dean bit his lip before launching into a lengthy explanation about cases, angels, and demons. He occasionally stopped to look at her or to lick his lips. She nodded along, focusing on how his body seemed to crumble in on itself as he explained. Dean leaned into his knees, back slumped, and head down. 

    When he finished, he closed his eyes. “Look, I’ll understand if you don’t want to keep doing this. I’ll understand if my explanation isn’t enough, but don’t leave me hanging here, please.” 

    Stretching out of her limbs, she scooted closer to him and put a hand on his back. Her thigh pressed against his as she leaned into his side. She rubbed her hand up and down his back, laying her head on his shoulder. 

    “I’m so sorry, Katie,” his voice broke as he said her name. “Just tell me what you want. I won’t fight you on it.” 

    She sat back, pulling his head down and scooting until his head laid in her lap. “I’m thinking, Dean. Let me think about what I want.” He groaned and scrubbed at his face. She ran her hand over his head, lightly scratching.  

     “I think that your explanation makes some sense.” Her other hand came to rest on his side as he started to relax into her lap. “I think that I can understand how everything you are dealing with would make it hard for you to call or text. But I need something from you.” 

    Dean rolled over, laying on his back to look up at her, “What do you need?”


	32. Promises

   Dean looked shocked, “You want me to what?”

    “You heard me. If you do it, I’ll accept your apology, and we will go back to how we were. If you don’t, you are not forgiven, and you will have to find another way to get me back. Your choice,” Katherine chirped.

   He groaned, rolling over and shoving his face into her stomach. She giggled, pushing him. He lifted her shirt, pushing against her stomach and blowing a raspberry on her stomach, her peals of laughter becoming louder. He grinned up at her, and she smacked his arm.

   Kat cupped his scratchy jaw, her thumb stroking his cheek, careful around the small cut there. “So what do you say?”

   He ran a finger over her exposed stomach, “Do I have to?” He kissed her stomach, causing her eyes to flutter.

   “Yep. Those are my terms.”

   “So, I have to help you fix your cars, make you dinner, and…”

   “Yes, yes, and yes.”

   He shook his head in disbelief. “You are one strange lady.”

   “But if you complete your list, I’ll still be your strange lady again.”

   “Fine, but I don’t understand it.”

   Kat leaned down, mouth inches from his, “You don’t have to understand it. You have to trust me.”

   His hand slipped around her neck, “I do trust you.” She couldn’t help but stare as his tongue snaked out to lick his lips.

   “If you trusted me, you would have called me for help, Dean.”

   He dropped his hand to his side, “That’s…”

   She cut him off, “I’m not trying to start a fight, Dean. I’m stating a fact. You could have called, and I could have helped. But for some reason, you thought I couldn’t because you didn’t trust me.”

   “Katie, it wasn’t that.”

   She huffed and sat back, “Then what was it?”

   “It wasn’t safe.” She went to speak, and he interrupted, “Look, this wasn’t a case that you would have been able to help on. This was something Sam, and I had to handle ourselves.”

   “See, that’s an issue, Dean. Do you think I can’t handle myself in a fight? That I wouldn’t listen to you if you told me it was too dangerous? Or do you think I would purposely throw myself into something I can’t handle?”

   He growled, “Damn it, Katie. No! I know you can fight. I didn’t want you on this case because you could have died and…” He stopped and sat up. “Forget it. Let’s just drop it.”

   She threw her hands in the air. “I’m not going to be able to drop this, Dean. I need to know why you wouldn’t have called me at all for four months!”

   “Because you could have gotten hurt,” he yelled. “Because you would have wanted to come and help us and that would have gotten you hurt or killed.”

   “You said that, Dean. But shouldn’t that be my choice? To choose if I want to take a case with you or not, even knowing I could get hurt or killed? Sam talked to me the whole time.”

   “Sam’s been talking to you?”

   “Yeah, the whole time! But I had to stay at home, sad because the guy who I call mine was not speaking to me anymore and I didn’t know why or if he ever would again. He just fucked me and left. I only knew that he was alive because HIS BROTHER told me he was.”

   Dean rubbed the back of his neck, “You still call me your guy?”

   Kat closed her eyes, sighing, “Yeah Dean, I do. Even when everyone is telling me to stop, I do.”

   His hand touched her cheek, and when she opened her eyes, he was leaning towards her. “So, I’m still your guy?”

    “Yeah. I mean, if you still want to be,” she whispered, her grey eyes searching his green ones,

   His forehead touched hers and he closed his eyes, “More than you know, Katie.”

   He touched his lips to hers briefly. “Look, I-I’m an ass, okay? If it ever happens again, find me and shoot me.”

   She smiled, “Oh, that’s not even a problem. I’ll shoot you in the leg so you can’t run away again.”

   Chuckling, he sat back against the armrest. “So you’re going to kidnap me?”

    “Well, my friends wanted me to find you and kick you in the shins. This appeases everyone.”

   He groaned, “So you’re saying I need to watch out for Nicole?”

   Katherine thought for a minute, “Yeah, definitely.”

   Dean rubbed a hand across his face, “Great.”

   She smiled and crawled over to him, straddling his legs. “I’ll call her off if you complete your tasks.” His hands snaked around her waist, one hand resting on her lower back, the other rubbing slow circles between her shoulders. She sighed and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. “That feels so good.” His hand between her shoulders pressed harder and she hummed her pleasure.

   She melted against him, nuzzling her face in his neck. Taking in his leather and gunpowder scent, she slid her arms under his leather jacket and around his waist. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth coming off of him as he massaged her back.

   He whispered into her hair, “When do you get off work, baby girl?”

   “I have to stay for one more dance, hence the costume. Why?”

   “Because if you keep doing that to my neck, I’m going to have to lay you down on this couch.”

   Kat kissed his neck, “Oh, really? Who says I’ll let you?”

   He groaned, “Then stop, please.”

   She slid up further on his lap, pressing her body to his. His hand stopped massaging her and grabbed her hip instead, a gentle warning. She ran her lips up the column of his neck, kissing the pulse point. Her fingers found their way under his shirt, lightly tracing his sides.

   Dean growled and grabbed her thighs, “Katie, baby. You need to stop.”

   Kat sat back and kissed his nose. “I have to torture you a little.”

    “Aren’t the tasks torture enough?”

   She shrugged, running her fingers over the skin of his stomach, “Sorta, only one of them is really torture to you though.” She shifted in his lap, feeling his half erect state. “No, the main part of your torture is that,” She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Until you finish your tasks, you aren’t allowed to touch me the way we both know you want to right now.”

   Dean groaned, “Son of a bitch! Really?!”

   She slid off of him and stood up. “Them’s the breaks, Winchester.” She straightened her clothes, “Take your pick.”

   She watched as he closed his eyes and swallowed, “Fine. Okay. I’ll do what you want me to do.”


	33. Decisions

   Kat woke up the next morning to fresh coffee, eggs, and toast. She smiled as she ate in the garage, sitting on the counters against the wall and watching Dean go over Beauty. Sam had been sitting on her porch the night before, and now he was sitting next to Dean, playing tool monkey.

   Dean’s reaction to her Prius had left Sam in tears. Thankfully, Katherine had missed the first reaction, but as she sat down in the garage, Dean had turned to her, leaning against Beauty and pointing at Narcissa.

   “A Prius. Really?!”

   “Yup. She gets great gas mileage when I travel far distances and she rarely needs fixing.”

   “But it’s a Prius!”

   “I fail to see what you’re getting at, Dean.”

   “A Prius!”

   “Hey, Dean? Four months?!”

   He threw his hands in the air and got back under the Cadillac's hood. Sam snickered behind his hand. Kat threw a piece of toast at him, and he dodged it. It hit the wall instead, and Sam came to sit by her.

   He whispered to her, “Ended that quickly.”

   “Yeah, but it’s a low blow. I just wanted him to stop.”

   He shook his head and went to hand Dean the wrench when he asked for it. It was warm in the garage, the cold November air sealed out. Dean pulled his t-shirt off and bent back over to tighten a nut. Kat tilted her head, running her eyes down his back as his muscles flexed.Sam laughed, and she looked over to see him watching her. She flipped him off and went back to watching Dean. He grabbed the grease rag from his back pocket, straightening up and wiping off his hands before putting it back. He grabbed the wrench again and bent down. Kat smirked and got off the counter, walking over to stand beside him.

   “So what’s the prognosis?”

   “Couple of loose nuts on the manifold and a line was loose.” He looked up at her, seeing her smirk. “But you already knew that.”

   “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she feigned an innocent look.

   He grabbed the rag from his back pocket and whipped it at her, hitting her arm and leaving grease streak there. She grabbed the cloth and threw it at him. It hit his face, and he growled and grabbed her waist, smearing grease across her white tank top. Sam backed away laughing as the two wrestled, leaving greasy streaks all over each other. Dean pinned her against the garage wall and smeared grease down her shoulder.

    She threw her hands up, “Okay, Okay. You win. I knew! There is also a loose wire under there.”

   “Damn right, I win,” he laughed and kissed her forehead,

   He walked back over to the car, looking for the loose wire. Kat walked by, stopping to swipe grease down his back. He grumbled and glared at her.

   “I said you win; I didn’t say I wouldn’t get you back for ruining my favorite white tank top.”

   Sam guffawed, and she went to stand by him near the counters, hopping up to sit on them. She nudged him with an elbow.

   “Don’t make me cover you in grease too.”

    He threw his hands up and went to help Dean with tools again. Kat couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the two brothers working together to fix her car. She pulled out her phone and took a picture, sending it to Nicole and Liz.

   “So do you want me to make dinner tonight, guys?”

   “We’ve got it handled,” Dean replied. “I’m going to make some chicken and vegetables.”

   “Trying to make it through that list, huh?”

   Sam looked between Dean and Kat, his eyebrows knit together. “List?”

   Dean didn’t answer, keeping his head down, so she explained. “Dean has to finish a list of three things for me to forgive him. One was helping to fix my cars. Next, is making me dinner. The last…”

   Dean interrupted, “Let’s not mention the last. I’m trying to forget about it.”

   “It’s not THAT bad, Dean.”

   “Uh, yeah it is.”

   Sam came to sit by Kat, whispering, “What is it?”

   She whispered back, “He has to dance with me. One dance, my choice of song, and no complaining.”

   He gave her a weird look, “Why dance?”

   “He has to rebuild trust. He promised to look at my car six months ago. He promised me a dinner. The dance is so that I can feel like he understands that I need him to be there for me and to understand that he needs to trust me too.”

   “Okay, but he made you dinner when we were here. Also, you gotta know he does trust you.”

   "WE made dinner. Also, he doesn’t trust me. If he trusted me, he wouldn’t have cut me off. He would have kept me in the loop and understood that I could make the right choices for both of us.”

   Dean yelled over, “Hey girls, wanna stop whispering? I can hear you anyway.”

   “Good. Then you know why I want the dance. I don’t have to explain it again.”

   She leaned back on the wall, crossing her arms and smirking at Dean. Sam went over to help Dean again, while Dean went back to work. He finished fixing the wires and closed the hood. Wiping his hands on a clean rag,

   He kept his eyes on her, “Hey, Sammy. Can you give us a minute?”

   “Yeah, sure, Dean.”

   Dean waited until Sam had left before he growled out, “I know all of this is about trust, but I don’t understand how a dance can help with that.”

   She sighed, rubbing her palms against her thighs. “A dance, especially like the one I want, is all about trust, trusting your partner to move in the way you expect, trusting them to hold you with just the right amount of pressure.” She looked down at her hands, “Trusting them to be strong. But mostly, Dean. It’s about you trusting me in the same way. To follow you, to move in time with you, and to trust that I will be right where I’m supposed to be.”

   Kat listened as his footsteps approached her. She saw his boots and legs first as he stepped over to stand between her legs. A finger under her chin led her eyes to his emerald ones. He searched them, cupping her cheeks in his hands.

   “Okay, Katie. I’ll do the damn dance, but I don’t know how to do what you do when you dance.”

   She smiled sadly. “I know. That’s why I’m going to have a friend help you learn some basics.”

    He leaned into her, resting his forehead against hers. “Why do you look so sad, Katie?”

   “I’m scared. Or worried. A little of both.”

   “About what, baby?”

   “That this won’t help, that you’re still not going to trust me, that I’m going to be left in the dark again by you. That you’ll pick up and leave again but this time you won’t come back. Pick your poison.”

   His thumbs traced her cheekbones, “I think a dance isn’t going to help, then. I’m going to worry about you anyway. You were telling me about each case you went on during those two months." He paused, taking a deep breath. "It terrified me. I couldn’t keep you safe. What happens when you come against something you can’t handle?”

   Kat jerked back, looking him in the eye. “I can handle myself, Dean. I’ve done so for years. The only time I screwed up, I was ambushed by vampires and needed someone to get me, but I still was able to call for help before they got to me. I can HANDLE myself.”

   “Fuck, Katie. I know you think you can…”

   “I THINK I can? I KNOW I can fight. I’ve fought most of my life!”

   “I know that. I just, I can’t take risks with the people I care about.” He pulled her to him, pressing her forehead against his and closed his eyes. “I can’t lose any more people, baby.”

   “Then trust me to take care of myself.”

   “I’m trying! I’ve given you what you wanted so far because I know what it means to you, but damn, Katie. This is as much me as it is you. You have to trust me too.”

   She sighed, closing her eyes and kissing him softly. “I know, honey.”

   Dean chuckled, “Honey?”

   Kat shrugged, “Seemed right at the moment.”

   “Why honey?”

   “Hm,” she kissed his forehead. “Because you're sweet.” She kissed his cheeks, “you’re pretty smooth.” She nipped his ear, “and you can be very good to me.” She kissed down his neck, nibbling at the soft skin over his collarbone.

   Dean growled, “Don’t start something you know we can’t finish.”

   Kat laid her head on his shoulder, finger tracing designs on his chest by connecting his freckles. He put his cheek against her head, his hand rubbing circles against her lower back.

   “You know,” she piped up. “I would be willing to forgo the dance as the last task if you promised to dance with me later.”

   His hand stopped moving, and he sucked in a breath, “Really? Why?”

   “Because you’ve made me rethink this whole list thing. You’ve worked hard to get the first two done, which tells me you are sorry, that you want my forgiveness. Also, you’ve been working hard to prove to me that you are serious. So, I think it’s dumb to hold you to something that might take weeks or even months to complete, considering that you will eventually have to leave on a case. Shit, I will too.”

   Dean nodded against her black hair, his hand rubbing circles into her back again. “That’s up to you, sweetheart. But, I think even if you do take the dance off the list, we still should think twice about jumping back into bed.”

    Kat leaned back, her hands sliding up to his neck, thumbs running over the scruff on his cheeks, “Why do you think that?”

   “Because Katie, I want to know you trust me again. I know you don’t. I can still see it in your eyes and in the way you act. You look at me like you think I’m going to disappear again.” He kissed her cheek, laying his forehead on her shoulder, “I don’t want to see that in your eyes when we’re having sex or after.”

   She laid her head against his and nodded, hugging him to her. “I understand. This whole thing only works if we trust each other. You’ll have to tell me when you feel ready, and I promise, I’ll tell you when I am.”


	34. Calm

   Sam left in the afternoon to go back to Bobby’s. He made an excuse, saying he needed to look over some books there, but Kat and Dean knew the real reason. He wanted to give them some time alone. He promised to come back in a few days since he was taking Dean’s Impala. Kat gave him a bag with a lunch and some snacks for the road before hugging him and saying goodbye.

   After Sam drove away, Kat turned on a movie in the living room. Dean popped popcorn, and they sat on the sectional to watch it. She was curled up on the chaise, Dean sitting close by. They had the popcorn in a bowl between them. Every once in awhile, they would reach in at the same time, and they would start a war for the popcorn. At first, it was playful light taps on the hand; then it was shoving. Eventually, it led to popcorn all over the floor and her climbing onto his lap, pushing a handful into his mouth. He blew out a couple of pieces at her, and she laughed, jumping off of him and knocking over the bowl. He got up and circled her before tackling her onto the chaise, pinning her underneath him and tickling her.

   She thrashed underneath him, “Please, Dean! Stop!”

   He laughed and paused, running his hands over her sides. “Next time, share the popcorn.”

   “Never,” she joked, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands gave her sides a quick tickle, and she jerked. “Okay! I’ll share like a good girl,” she whined.

   Dean snorted, “Good girl, my ass.”

   Kat pouted, pulling his face inches from hers, “Fine, you’re right.” She mock glared at him, “I’m a bad girl.”

   Dean groaned, lips crashing into hers and his hand holding the back of her head and pulling her closer. His lips were demanding, moving across hers before parting. He sucked on her bottom lip, teeth pulling gently. Kat sighed into the kiss, hands wrapping around his waist and pulling him down on top of her. His chest and hips were flush with hers as he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. Kat parted hers, moaning as his tongue slid between them and over her own. Her hands explored the muscles of his back, feeling them tense and move under the soft skin. She could feel his arousal through the denim of his jeans as his tongue touched with hers and his hips ground against her. Heat coursed through her body and she wrapped her legs around his hips. His hand ran up her thigh before they broke apart, breathless.

   Dean pushed back, “Fuck, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

   Kat licked her kiss-swollen lips, “I’m not complaining.”

   He nuzzled into her neck, “I thought we were going to hold off on sex?”

   “Making out and sex are completely different. My shorts are still on and so are your jeans.”

   Dean nibbled on her neck, and Kat sighed. “Yeah, I know that, Katie. I’m painfully aware we still have clothes on.”

   She rocked her hips into his, and he let out a hiss, “Then I say, it doesn’t count.”

   “That’s a slippery slope.”

   He unwound her legs from him and rolled over next to her on the chaise. Kat whimpered at the loss of his warmth on top of her, and she curled up into his side. He pulled her head onto his chest and ran his fingers through her hair.

   She shifted her body closer, throwing her leg over his thigh. “I meant it with good intentions.”

   “Well, we know whose road is paved with good intentions.” He rubbed his hand over her bare thigh, resting his head on hers. “I want to keep my word. I said we should wait and we should.”

   “Okay, honey. We’ll wait. Until then, I want to stay right here and watch another movie.” Her stomach growled loudly.

   “Sounds to me like it’s time for me to start dinner.” She groaned and sat up, letting him get up and head to the kitchen. She saw the mess on the floor and got up, grabbing the remote and turning on some music. She swept her wood floors, getting the worst of it up.

   She heard Dean cutting vegetables when Rachel Platten’s “Stand By You” came on the station. She went into the kitchen and grabbed Dean’s hips, pulling him away from the counter. He made a noise in protest as Katherine turned him around and took the knife away, setting it on the counter. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close and swaying to the music.

   “Dance with me, Dean. Just a simple dance. Hold on and sway type.” He chuckled and slid his hands around her waist, resting them on her lower back. She laid her head against his shoulder and sang the song to him.

“ _Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes._

_And hurt, I know you’re hurting, but so am I._

_And love, if your wings are broken,_

_Borrow mine ‘til yours can open, too._

_‘Cause I’m going to stand by you._

_Even if we’re breaking down, we can find a way to break through._

_Even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through hell with you._

_Love, you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you.”_

   He stopped swaying and held her as she finished singing the lyrics. When it ended, she pulled back and kissed his cheek.

   “Thanks, Dean.”

   “No thanks needed.” He kissed her forehead. “I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would.”

   He went back to cooking, and she sat at the breakfast nook after turning off the music. “Dancing can be fun, depending on who you are doing it with, just like most things in life.”

   Dean laughed, “Guess that makes sense.”

   They talked about random stuff while he finished making dinner and they ate. When they were done, they cuddled up on the couch, and Kat turned on crappy horror movies. They joked and laughed through them, Kat picking on Dean when he startled at a jump scare. Dean yawned and stretched out his limbs, pulling her closer to his side. 

   He yawned again, and Katherine mumbled, “Hey, Dean. Do you want to go to bed?”

   He groaned, twisting his neck, “Probably should. Want to get up early and take Beauty for a ride. Make sure she’s fixed.”

   She sat up, standing next to the sectional while he got up and stretched. “Do you, um...” She ran her hand through her hair, staring at her bare toes, “Would you want to sleep in my room?”

    He stopped stretching, one eyebrow raised. “I would, but is that a good idea?”

   She looked him in the eyes, smiling softly. “I promise, no funny business. Just sleep.”

   He stared into her slate eyes for a minute. “Okay. Let’s go to bed.”


	35. Dean

    Dean woke up with Katie wrapped around him, her arm draped over his bare chest and her leg over his waist, and he couldn’t help the smile that broke across his face. Her face was towards him, head resting on his arm. She was stunning to him, her slim body with its gentle curves and her bravery enough to drive him wild. He ran his free hand through her soft tresses, and she sighed, cuddling closer to him.  He gently rolled her over, freeing his arm and causing her to whimper. 

    He kissed her forehead and climbed out of bed. He went into the bathroom and changed into a black tee and jeans, throwing his green military jacket over top. When he came out of the bathroom, Katie leaned up to look at him. 

    She yawned, “Where ya going, Dean,” Her voice husky with sleep. 

    He smiled as he adjusted her ring on his finger, mumbling, “Gotta test drive Beauty, remember?” 

    She stretched, blankets slipping down, and he watched her lithe body move. Her tank top slipped up, and her flat stomach peeked out. He bit his lip, watching her body twist, her abs rolling and breasts pushed up. He rubbed the back of his neck, forcing himself to stay where he was, but wanting nothing more than to jump in that bed and make her scream his name. She stretched her back the other way, a moan escaping her lips. Dean’s eyes slammed shut, and he licked his lips, mentally reminded himself of their agreement; sheer will kept his feet firmly where they were. 

    “Give me a second, and I’ll come with.” 

    Dean smiled at her, seeing her sleep-heavy eyes. “Go back to sleep, Katie. I’m just going to take her for a ride. I might stop by a store if I cross one and grab something for us to eat later.” 

    She gave him a sweet smile as she laid back on her pillow, “Are you sure, honey?” 

    His heart thudded at the nickname, and he walked over to her side of the bed, sitting down beside her and running his fingers through her lush, raven hair, “Yeah, sweetheart. Get some more sleep. I should be home in an hour or two. If I’m running late, I’ll call. Okay?” 

    Her eyes drifted closed, and she hummed, “Okay. I have to go to the bar for practice later, so if I have to leave before you’re back, you will have a house key on Beauty’s keyring.” 

    “Okay, baby. Get some more sleep.” He kissed her on the forehead, then her cheeks, and finally her closed lids. She giggled and pulled him down to her lips, leaving a quick peck. 

    Dean walked away from the bed and grabbed Beauty’s keys. He left quickly, jogging up to the garage and getting into Katie's Cadillac. He pulled the car out of the garage, drove around, finally stopping at a park and pulling out his phone. Dean called the one person he knew who could help him with what he was planning. 

    “Hello?” 

    “Hey, it’s Dean.” 

     “I know. What do you want, Dean?” Nicole’s voice filled with anger, and he closed his eyes. 

    “I need your help with something.” She scoffed, and he continued, “It’s for Katie.” 

    Her voice changed, her curiosity evident, “Katie? What’s wrong?” 

    “Nothing. I want to do something for her, but I need help with it.”

    “What do you want to do?” 

... 

    Dean pulled up to Katie’s bar, his stomach in knots. When he walked in, the security guard, Tommy, let him pass with a glare. Juan was sitting at a table close to the dance floor with a woman Dean had never met. She was wrestling with a baby while talking to Juan. Juan noticed Dean standing by the door and waved him over. 

     The woman looked him over, and Dean swallowed his nerves, “Hey Juan. Thanks for helping me out.” 

    The dark haired man shook his head, “I’m not going to help.” He pointed at the woman, “Liz is going to set you up with someone to help. I think my boyfriend and I should take you out back and knock you out.” 

    “I’d let you. I deserve it, but I want to do this for Katie.” 

    Tommy stepped up behind Juan’s chair, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Give him a chance, Handsome. If he fucks up again, then we take him out back and beat the shit out of him.” 

    Dean nodded at Tommy, hiding his shock at finding out the big guy was gay. The woman, Elizabeth, smiled at Dean. She bounced her baby on her knee, hazel eyes searching his. 

    Finally, she piped up, “I’ll have two of the dancers help you with your task, BUT only because I love Katie like a sister and don’t want to see her hurting anymore.” She stood up and handed the baby to Dean, “Take care of Sean while I go get the two dancers.” 

    Dean stared at the squirming thing in his arms in shock. The baby, Sean, didn’t look all that thrilled to be in his arms either. He squawked at Dean, tiny fists pumping. Dean sighed and put the infant on his hip, bouncing him gently. Sean giggled and cooed at Dean, who smiled down at him. The boy grabbed his finger and squeezed. 

    “So, little man. Are you tough like your godmother?” Sean giggled and kicked his feet. “Oh you are, aren’t you? Maybe your godmother will teach you how to fight? Maybe I could help when you’re older?” The baby thrashed his fists, gurgling and squawking. 

    Dean heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see Tommy smiling and Juan shocked. Juan scoffed, “That baby doesn’t like anyone. How did he warm up to you?” 

    Dean smiled at the baby, “Guess he trusts me.” 

    Liz came back with Ashlyn, and the guy Dean had seen dancing with Katie. Dean smiled at them, and Sean gurgled at his mother, laughing and reaching for her. Elizabeth scooped him up and smiled at Dean. 

    “Well, you pass the Sean Test. This is Ashlyn and Scott. They will help you with your request. Tell them what you want, and hopefully, they can teach you something.” 

... 

    “No, Dean. Your arms need to be loose around her waist. Hold on too tight, and she can’t move." 

    Dean gave a frustrated sigh and rubbed his hand through his hair. “I’m not trying to. It’s hard to remember it’s dancing, not fighting.” 

    “Think of it like sex," Scott laughed. "You want her to move. Otherwise, it’s going to feel like you’re fucking a corpse.” 

    Dean laughed and set his hands on Ashlyn’s waist again, lightly holding her there. “That makes a lot more sense and also conjures up images of bad nights with bad women.” 

    Ashlyn and Scott laughed, and Ashlyn took him through the steps the two dancers had put together. None of it was particularly hard, but it was difficult for Dean to remember them. Dean felt stupid while working with them. His body was used to fighting, not dancing. They worked through the dance twice, trying to teach Dean how to partner. He had the understanding already, but they wanted to take it a step further. 

    They finished and exchanged phone numbers so Dean could call them to set up another practice. When Dean came out of the practice room, he put his jacket back on and walked to the main room. Elizabeth was still there with Sean, who was screaming at his mother. 

    Dean walked over and sat at the table with them. “Hey, little dude. What’s up?” 

    “He’s hungry, and I need to finish this paperwork. I’m trying to hurry, but he’s a demanding little thing.” 

    “Hand him over and give me the bottle. I’ll help you out.” 

    Elizabeth looked him over, suspicious, “You sure about that?” 

    “Hand him over.” Liz shrugged and gave him Sean. Sean squeaked at Dean. He cuddled the little infant, grabbing the bottle from Liz. He popped it into Sean’s mouth and let him hold his finger. Dean smiled at the baby, taking his finger from him and running his hand over the soft, blonde hair on Sean’s head. 

    “You’re a natural at that,” Liz commented, and Dean noticed she was watching him. 

    He looked down at the baby and chuckled when he noticed he was falling asleep while eating, “I’ve handled my fair share of babies.” Noticing her confused look, he added, “None of them were mine. Just friends and stuff like that.” 

    “Do you want kids?” Elizabeth asked while working on her papers. 

    Dean thought about it. “I wouldn’t mind it, but my life isn’t exactly a great life to raise kids in. It’s dangerous, and I wouldn’t want to throw a kid into that mess.” 

    “So you do, and you don’t. Sounds like a shitty situation.” 

    “Yeah, it is. If I knew there was a way to protect the kid and the woman who had it, then I would jump at the chance. But that’s not possible.” 

    Liz gave a small laugh, “You sound like Kat. She’s always saying how she would love kids, but it’s not a possibility.” She sighed and watched Dean rock Sean. “It’s sad really. She’d be an amazing mother. I’ve seen her with my kids and with her nieces and nephews. I see the want in her eyes, but there is sadness too. Katherine’s never given the idea much thought since she was eighteen. Her short-lived dream of marriage was even squashed by her will to be a hunter.” She went back to work. “She worries about her family constantly though. Are my kids safe? Are her nieces and nephews safe? Can she save her sister Lyra from her heroin addiction? The poor woman has too much on her plate. Add hunting, and the bar to that and I don’t know how she sleeps at all.”

    Dean watched Sean contentedly snuggled into his arms, taking the bottle away and setting it on the table, “Lyra is a heroin addict?” 

    “Yeah. Started about five years ago. Somehow, she’s still standing. Her daughters are a mess. Her youngest, Lyla, lives with Bernice. Lyra’s oldest, Isadora, lives with Lyra and Issy’s father, Matt. Kat is always worried about the two. She’s even contemplated quitting hunting and taking in her nieces, but I guess she’s heard several horror stories about hunters that have quit and their families suffered. So she has to step back and watch instead.” 

    Dean ran a hand over Sean’s head again when he started squawking. “Damn, I didn’t realize it was that bad. She never mentions it.” 

    “Kat’s tough. She’s also stubborn, sarcastic, funny, smart, kindhearted, nurturing, loyal, and creative. In other words, she can be a dream or a headache. Depends on the day and what you did to her.” 

    “How long have you known her?” 

    “Twenty plus years. Twenty years of her crazy ass. Funny enough, she’d say the same about me.” 

    Elizabeth finished her paperwork and took them back to her office. Dean sat holding the baby while Sean fell asleep. He liked babies, playing with kids, and being a part of a family. He’d love to have his own, but it was never a possibility. Now Dean was holding Liz’s little boy, and he wished he could have one of his own. He knew it couldn’t happen, but the idea was kind of nice to think about. 

    Dean heard a giggle and looked up, Katie was standing by the door, joking with another dancer. He smiled while looking at her, her hair freshly washed and she was wearing yoga pants and a blue, curve-hugging sweater. She had her duffel over her shoulder, and he couldn’t help but think she was beautiful. Her raven hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her dove grey eyes were dancing with joy. 

    Sean let out a squawk and drew Dean’s attention back to him. Leaning back in his chair, Dean laid him on his chest, supporting his head with one hand, his bottom with the other and letting the little one rest there. Sean cooed and fell back asleep, gripping Dean’s shirt in his tiny fist. Dean chuckled as the little guy twitched in his sleep, kicking Dean in his ribs. 

    “Awe, Sean likes to sleep where I do,” Katie’s voice was soft, full of laughter and love. She lightly touched Sean’s velvety hair, “Just like your godmother, huh, Little Boo? What are you doing here, Dean?" 

     "I knew you had practice and thought I'd surprise you," Dean replied, not wanting to tell her about his practices yet. 

     Kat gave him a small smile and kissed his cheek, "I'm glad you did. I think Sean is too." 

    Elizabeth sat back at the table, “Kat, if you wake him up after Dean took the time to get him to sleep, I’ll kick you for him and me.” 

    Kat sat next to Dean and Liz, laughing, “Still having trouble getting him to sleep, Liz?” 

    Liz rolled her eyes and looked at Kat, eyes serious, “Woman, you have no idea. The kid refuses to sleep for more than three hours again, and now he’s decided that he will only sleep in his swing.” She grinned at Dean, “And on Dean, apparently. Thank you, by the way. I’m now caught up for the week and can take a break for a couple of days.” 

    He grinned, pride filling his chest. “No problem. I like the little guy.” 

    Kat touched his arm, and Dean felt like electricity coursed through her touch and into his heart, “He seems to like you too.” 

    Liz sighed, “He likes both of you. Wanna take him home with you?” 

    Kat scoffed, giving her friend a sly look, “You know you would miss him within an hour of him being with us.” 

    Liz sighed, “I have grown quite attached to him. I think it’s the fact that at one point, he was attached.” 

    They all laughed at this and Sean squirmed in Dean’s hold. He started patting him softly on the backside and Sean settled again. He looked up to see Kat giving him a soft smile. He grinned back at her. 

    They had never said the words, but Dean was starting to feel them. The way he felt when he held her, when she touched him, or when she said his name was something he didn’t know if he could describe. His heart soared, and Dean felt like he was getting hit by electricity or heat when she touched him or when he held her. He truly enjoyed laying with her last night, just holding her and running his fingers through her thick hair. 

    He didn’t know how Katie felt about him, but he hoped it was the same as he did. Dean wanted to tell her, but it was too soon. They had only started dating really, and after he had disappeared on her, he didn’t think it was likely she felt the way he did. 

    He stopped patting Sean’s bottom. Sean stayed sleeping, and Dean sighed. He liked holding the baby, but it was making him think about a life that wasn’t going to happen. 

    Liz must have noticed his melancholy mood, “If you want, I can take him.” 

    Dean gave her a small smile, “I’m fine. I don’t mind giving you a rest from him.” 

    “Are you going to stay? I have to get to practice.” Kat got up and kissed Dean’s forehead. 

    “I don’t know. I’ll text you if I head home, okay?” 

    Kat gave him a huge smile, “Home, huh?” 

    Dean hadn’t even realized he had said it, but he thought about it as Katie walked through the backroom door. He did feel like her home was his also, along with Bobby’s and the Impala. They all felt like his home, in different ways. Katie’s place feeling like his place to rest, away from hunting and angels and demons. He could just be himself there. Bobby’s was where he went after hunts, where he rested in between them and where he could spend time with Bobby. The Impala was where he felt comfortable during cases, where he spent so much time with his brother.  

... 

    Dean stayed for a while, talking to Liz, letting Sean sleep on his chest, and playing with him when he woke. Finally, he decided it was time to leave. Katie would be there for a couple more hours, so he shot her a text to let her know he was going after he handed Sean back to his mother. Dean exchanged numbers with Liz and grabbed his jacket, pulling it around him as he stepped out into the cold air. He walked to where he parked Kat’s Beauty and climbed in, starting the car and turning on the heat. 

    Dean drove to the store and picked up a couple of things for dinner, deciding to make a large pot of stew and grabbing a couple of sandwiches for him and Katie to eat for lunch, even a case of beer for them to drink. He drove to Katie’s house and started making the stew. 

     Katie came home right as he was finishing up, letting the stew cook on the stove and letting the meat get tender. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He grinned and placed his arms over hers. Warmth coursed through his body at her touch, his heart melting as she leaned against him. 

    “What are you making, honey,” she murmured, her voice tired. 

    “Beef Stew and Vegetables for dinner. There are sub sandwiches in the fridge for lunch and beer to drink with dinner. I also threw some in the stew. Tastes better that way.” 

     She hummed and rested her forehead on his shoulder, “Sounds delicious.” 

    He turned around in her arms, pulling her against his chest and brushing the wisps of hair from her face. “Hard practice?” She nodded her head and rested it on his chest. “Why don’t we grab a blanket and camp out on the couch? You can pick the movies or take a nap.”

     She leaned back and gave him a tired smile, “That sounds amazing right now. But you can pick the movies? I’m too tired to think.” 

    Dean kissed her forehead and pulled back from the embrace, grabbed the sandwiches and taking them into the living room. Katherine sat on the chaise and curled her legs up. He handed her a sandwich and set his down on the couch before grabbing her a blanket and tucking it around her. He sat next to her, unwrapping his sandwich and eating while turning on Zombieland. 

    He watched Katie eat a couple of bites before her eyes started drifting closed between bites, head lolling to the side. He set his food down and took hers before scooting next to her and pulling her close. He moved the blanket, helping her to lay down before he laid next to her and wrapped them up again. He wrapped his arm around her back, and she nuzzled into his chest. Dean put his head on hers, smelling her herbal shampoo and the sweet smell of her. Her lavender, honey, and ozone scent calming him. He closed his eyes and listened to her breathing slow and even out.

    His phone went off in his pocket, and he struggled to pull it out without waking her. When he finally freed it, he checked to see who it was. 

_Elizabeth: Kat left her phone in her office. I can drop it off in about five minutes._

_Dean: Thanks. She’s asleep on the couch, and I’m a little stuck. Do you have a key?_

_E: Yes, I do. I’ll have to be quick. A Huge snow storm is predicted to hit soon, and I still have Sean._  

    Dean checked his weather app and frowned. A storm was looming, several feet of snow forecasted. He put his phone next to them and laid back down, her head back on his chest and her leg curled around him. He got comfortable, checking to make sure the thick blanket was still tight around her. 

    Liz dropped by, setting Katie’s phone on the couch next to Dean’s and running out and giving a quick wave. Dean waved back and closed his eyes as she shut the door, Liz checking to make sure it was locked first. He ran his hand over Katie’s hair. Her hand moved, coming to rest on his hip and giving it a small squeeze. 

    As the movie ended, Dean saw the lights flicker through his closed eyes. He opened them, and they flashed again. His heart jumped into his throat, mind filtering through the hidden weapons in the room. He peeked out of the window behind them and saw a blanket of thick white snow falling. He smiled seeing the snow settling on the ground outside, knowing it was the cause of the power issues. 

    He heard the kitchen timer go off and winced as Katie startled. “Sorry, Katie. I need to check the stew.” Katie whimpered, and he ran his hand over her side, feeling the gentle sloping of her hip, “I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” 

    He carefully slid from under her and watched her turn over on the chaise, facing the armrest. Dean stirred the stew, checking to see if the meat was tender. Deciding to let it cook longer, he went into the living room and grinned when he saw Katie, half covered by the blanket, ponytail gone, and body pressed against the side of the chaise. He turned on Unforgiven with Clint Eastwood, picking up the blanket, and laying behind Katie. 

    He wrapped the blanket around them both and pulled Katie’s back to his chest, placing a light kiss on her hair. She shifted her whole body against him, hips grinding against him. Dean groaned and held her hips still, pressing his hand to her stomach and noticing her top had ridden up her body. His fingers rubbed the bare skin of her abdomen, and her hand came down to rest on his. He shifted his hips back trying to adjust his painful erection against the denim of his jeans. She pushed her hips back and pressed against him again, causing a small groan to escape his lips.


	36. Blizzard

    Katherine was half asleep when she heard Dean groan into her hair. It took her a moment to realize why, her hips moving against him of their own volition. She ran her fingers over his, feeling them tense as she shifted her hips back again. She could feel his hardness against her now, and she stilled her movements. 

    Her voice was still groggy as she murmured, “I’m sorry, Dean. I’ll try to stop doing that.” 

    His breath gusted through her hair, “It’s okay.” He took another deep breath, “Just let me calm down for a second.” 

    Kat turned in his arms, feeling her top ride up until it became trapped under her bra. She looked at his tense face, running her fingers over his upper arm. His eyes closed tight, and his breath trickled over her face. She shifted back and ran her fingers up his arm and over his chest, sliding it down to the waistband of his jeans. 

    “Katie. Stop. Please.” He breathed each word in short gasps. 

    “Dean, let me help you.” She slid her fingers under his tee and ran them over the smooth skin of his stomach, feeling his abs tense. 

    “Katie, we said no sex until we felt more trusting towards each other.” 

    She smiled, “It’s not sex, honey, and I do trust you. You gave me everything I asked for, and you’ve done it with little to no complaint. You’ve stayed with me and talked to me about everything.” She kissed his soft lips, lightly nipping at his bottom lip. “Do you trust me, Dean?” 

    His eyes snapped open, green eyes boring into hers, pupils large with lust. “Of course, I do. I don’t trust myself right now.” 

    "Just tell me no, and I'll stop." 

    He groaned, her hand flattening on his side. "I'm not saying no. I'm asking if you're sure." 

    Kat kissed him, hand playing with his waistband again while her lips moved with his as he kissed her back. He groaned into the kiss and licked her bottom lip, Katherine parting her lips and letting his tongue slip into her. Her fingers unbuttoned his jeans, sliding the zipper down. He shifted his hips, helping her push his pants and boxer briefs down his legs. Her tongue moved with his, her fingers trailing up his thigh before wrapping around the thick base of his shaft. 

    He gasped, breaking the kiss and pressing his forehead against hers. His breath trickled over her face as she slid her fingers up to his tip, running her thumb over the slit and collecting the precum there. She let go of him, and he groaned, opening his eyes and watching her lick the sweet liquid off her thumb before she licked her palm and slid her hand between them, grasping him again. His breath hitched as she stroked his length up and down slowly. 

    She stopped and gently pushed him on his back, straddling his thighs. She continued to stroke him, his fingers running through her hair before pulling her down for a quick kiss. She leaned back, watching his face as his hips occasionally bucked. She loved the feeling of his hard length in her hand, his breaths coming short and uneven. She sped up slightly, licking her other hand before wrapping it around him as well, and moving them in tandem, hearing his breath come out in a hiss. He groaned as she gently twisted her hands while stroking him, his hips now moving with her. She bit her lip at the sight of him, his lips parted, and eyes screwed shut. 

    He reached up, his hands cupping her breasts as she worked his length. She closed her eyes as he slid the tank and soft bra cups down, exposing he. His hands covered them, thumbs grazing over her nipples. Her breath came out in a hiss as she looked into his eyes and he smirked, pinching her nipple and causing a soft moan to fall from her lips. Katherine gently squeezed his shaft, smirking as he groaned. 

    She quickened her pace when she saw him lick his lips, spitting on her hand before bringing it down again. He rubbed her thighs, his breath coming out in pants before she scooted down his legs, bending over and licking the tip. She looked up at him as she wrapped her lips around the head, tongue gliding over the slit, tasting his sweet precum again. He moaned and buried his fingers in her hair, gathering it up and holding it out of her way. She could feel his shaft twitching, knowing he was close. 

    She sucked on him while her hands slid over him and she swirled her tongue around his tip. He moaned her name as his shaft twitched harder, his salty seed spilling into her mouth. She worked him through it until he was too sensitive. She held his shaft gently as she pulled her mouth away, swallowing the mixture of saliva and cum in her mouth. Her hands moved to his hips and smiled down at him. His bottle green eyes were soft as he watched her climb off of him and settle beside him. 

    He pulled her close and kissed her gently. “God, you’re gorgeous, Katie.” 

    She smiled and kissed the tip of his nose, teasing him, “You’re only saying that because you came.” 

    “No, I’m saying it because it’s true. You’re fucking gorgeous.” 

    The lights in the room went out, and Kat grabbed his arm. “What the…” 

    “Blizzard. Liz told me about it when she dropped your phone off. Supposed to get several feet of snow.” 

    Kat groaned, “Well, we can head downstairs. I have a backup generator for the den. I filled it earlier this month, so it should last us a little while.” 

    “Dinner’s probably done. Your stove is gas, so that won’t be an issue.” 

    “I could use a good meal. The sandwiches were great, but I was too tired to eat more than a couple of bites.” 

    Dean and Kat got up from the couch. He pulled his jeans back into place, and she righted her top before heading into the kitchen. He grabbed bowls and spoons for the stew while Kat set about lighting candles for the breakfast nook. 

    As Kat was lighting the last candle, Dean set the bowls of stew on the nook and grabbed her waist, pulling her against his chest. “Maybe after dinner, I’ll see about making you feel better.” 

    Heat filled her body at the idea, settling in her belly. “Sounds great to me.” She leaned up and whispered in his ear, “Maybe we can do more than that.” 

    Dean cupped her cheek, bringing her lips to his quickly before pulling back and searching her eyes. “Are you sure?” 

    She gave him a sweet small, running her fingers down his neck and chest, “Positive, honey.” 

    His thumb traced her cheekbone, and he nodded, “Maybe we can then. But first, we eat dinner.” 


	37. Warm

    They finished dinner and blew out most of the candles upstairs. They each carried one downstairs to the den and Dean helped Kat find the generator in the dark and turn it on. She smiled as the lights came flickering on and she checked her furnace, groaning when it didn't work. Kat dug back in the utility closet and found the reset button and tried hitting it but it didn’t work.  

    Kat sighed, “Well, I guess it’s just going to get cold. I’ll have to call David to come look at it.” 

    Dean pulled her back against his chest, holding her, “David does all of your home repairs?” 

    “Yeah, he’s worked as a roofer, electrician, and several other jobs. He’s good at fixing things around the house, and he’s usually free.” 

    “Can’t bitch about free.” 

    Kat leaned back, covering his arms with hers and kissing his neck softly. “True. I’ll call him in the morning. See when he can come over.” 

    “Well, we have a night to ourselves with little power. What do you want to do," Dean asked, kissing her shoulder. 

    She sighed and snaked her hand through his hair, fingers playing with the coarse hair at the base, “I know what I want to do, just not sure if you will want to.” 

    His voice was a husky whisper in her ear, “What’s that, Katie?” 

    Delicious shivers ran down her spine, and she slipped his hand under her top to rest on her bare skin. “We create our own heat.” 

    His fingers twitched on her stomach, and he kissed her neck, “I think that’s a great idea.” 

    He scooped her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down in the center before crawling on top of her, caging her in with his body. His thumb trailed a path down the side of her face before Dean leaned down and kissed her softly, thumb lightly pushing on her chin causing her to open her mouth for his tongue to slide in. Their tongues danced together, his fingers running down the side of her neck and between her breasts. He pushed her top up, his warm hand coming down to knead the soft flesh of her belly. He pulled away and kissed her jaw and down her neck, nipping at the smooth skin over the pulse. She gasped, her body filling with heat. His kisses trailed over her shoulder and down her collarbone, stopping when he reached the top of her tank. He leaned back, and Kat helped him remove her top and bra. 

    His fingers moved up her ribs until his hand cupped her breast, “Fucking beautiful.” 

    He watched her as his fingers circled her nipple. Leaning down, he latched onto her nipple, mouth hot and wet against her cold skin. She sighed his name and threaded her fingers through his hair. His other fingers came up to tease her nipple while his mouth worked on the other. She could feel his tongue flicking against her, feel him suck the small nipple into his mouth. His teeth grazed lightly over it, and Kat sucked in a quick breath. He kissed across her chest, taking the other nipple into his mouth and giving it the same treatment. 

    Kat rubbed her thighs together between his legs, craving friction. A knot was forming in her belly, and she needed his mouth on hers. She tugged on his hair, pulling him to her and kissed him passionately. Their tongues swirled as Dean’s hand slid down her stomach, untying her shorts, and sliding underneath. She felt the heat of his hand as it covered her panty clad center. Her hips bucked into his hand, and he rubbed his fingers over her folds, the satin panties soft and wet against her hot center. 

    Dean groaned and leaned his forehead against her, “You’re so fucking wet, baby.” She whimpered and kissed his neck, nipping at the skin before dragging her tongue over the small marks. “Katie, tell me what you want.” 

    Kat whimpered, hands clutching his shoulders as his fingers stopped rubbing, “I need you, Dean. Touch me, kiss me. Fuck, honey, I need everything.” 

    Dean groaned and pulled her face to his, lips crashing against hers before he moved on to her neck, nipping at the skin between kisses. She gasped at the sting of his bites, and his tongue ran over them, soothing them away. His mouth continued down, kisses and nibbles trailing down her chest and stomach. His fingers looped in the waistband of her shorts and panties and he pulled them down and off before settling between her thighs. 

    His fingers gently kneaded their way up her thighs, thumb sliding over her folds before parting them. He licked a long stripe up her center, and she moaned loudly. His mouth covered the small bundle of nerves nestled there and her fingers laced through his hair. He pulled one of her knees up, giving him more access before he circled her clit with his tongue, flicking it gently and sucking it into his mouth. The knot in her belly pulsed with each movement of his tongue and she mewled underneath him as his finger slid into her. 

    Dean moaned against her, and she could feel the vibrations course through her. He slid another finger into her and rocked his hand back and forth, fingers crooked to press against the sweet spot inside of her. Her hips pushed her against his mouth, and his arm pressed her back down as she whimpered and whined with pleasure. Her fingers in his hair pressed him down as she felt the knot explode, her head falling back as she moaned his name. His fingers slowed as he kissed her thighs and whispered against her skin how beautiful she was. 

    He pulled his fingers from her and crawled up her body, kissing her lips softly. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him against her, Dean chuckling and kissing her neck and shoulder. Her breathing evened out, and he smiled down at her. 

    Kat ran her hand over his cheek and smiled, “Well, I was thinking of a little more, but I’m not complaining.” 

    Dean rolled over, pulling her to his chest. “I think we should still wait on that, baby.” 

    She frowned and looked down at her hand on his chest, “I thought you said you trusted me?” 

    He kissed the top of her head before pressing his forehead against it. “I do. But I also told you I didn’t trust myself. I meant it, Katie. Not just about not fucking you senseless, but the fact that I’m not sure how to act with you or if what I’m doing is right. I’m worried about hurting you or pushing you into something you’ll regret later.” 

    Kat looked up into his bright green eyes. “Don’t you think I worry about that too? Fuck, Dean. I’m always worried about if you want to be here or if you will regret something you or I did. If you feel the same way I do?” 

    “How do you feel about me?” 

    Katherine nestled her face against his chest. “I think I’m falling for you, Dean. I want to be with you constantly, and if I can’t be with you, I want to know that you’re safe and happy. I want to touch you every time I see you, and sometimes I can’t stop myself from touching your arm or leg. I feel safe with you.” Dean was silent for a while, and she hid her face him his chest, “Sorry if that was too much. I just wanted to be honest.” 

    His fingers under her chin coaxed her face up, and he smiled at her, his eyes soft and warm, “I love you, Katie. I feel the same way about you. It felt like it was killing me when I chose to stop talking to you for those four months. Every day I pulled out my phone to call or text, or to look at the pictures I have of us on there.” 

    She smiled up at him, her heart feeling like it was going to explode. “Say that first part again, please.” 

    He gave her a playful grin, “I love you, Katie.” 

    He heart swelled again, “I love you too, Dean.” 

    She kissed him softly, and he pulled her against his chest, holding her against him as he rubbed small circles on her back. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, feeling his heartbeat against her face. 

    "So," Katherine sighed. "The question remains if we're ready to have sex again." 

    "I don't know. I feel better about the idea, but how do you feel about it?" 

    She trailed her fingers over his chest, thinking. "I think we're ready. I know I am." 

    Dean's hand smoothed over her side, fingers brushing the side of her breast. "Well..." 

    They both groaned, Dean’s phone ringing upstairs. He kissed her head and ran upstairs. Kat rolled over on her back, covering her naked body up with her blankets. He came back down and stared at her, smiling as he talked on the phone. 

    “Yeah, Sammy. I’m still here with Katie. Hold on.” He turned the speakerphone on, “She can hear you now.” 

    “Hey, Kat, I’m sitting in the Impala, and I’m stuck in the snow. Know any friends that have a truck to pull me out?” 

    “Where are you?” 

    “Near Laura, Illinois.” 

    Kat crawled to the end of the bed, kneeling in front of Dean, who was standing at the foot of the bed. “I have a friend you can call. He’s an ex-hunter so no weird explanations about the trunk.”

    “Perfect, what’s the number?” 

    Kat rattled off the number as she watched Dean’s jaw work, his eyes roaming over her body. “His name’s Eddy, and he’s a little crazy, but in a good way. Wicked sense of humor.” 

    “Okay, I’ll call him in a minute. Dean, I need a quick word, privately.” 

    Dean turned off the speakerphone and put the phone to his ear, “Go ahead.” 

    She watched him talk to his brother, her mind clinging to an idea. She laid on her back on the bed, trailing her fingers up and down her stomach. Dean’s eyes zeroed in on her hand as it slid up her chest and she pinched her already hardened nipples. Dean grunted a reply to Sam, and she slowly trailed her fingers back down her stomach, cupping her sex with her hand. Her fingers slipped between her folds, and her lips parted in a small gasp as she touched herself under Dean’s gaze. 

    “Sammy, I’m going to hang up. The power's out here, but if you can get here, Katie has a key hidden under the third board of her porch. Bye.” 

    Kat stopped touching herself and gave him a suspicious look, “How did you know about that key?” 

    “Boredom.” He climbed onto the bed and crawled between her knees, kissing her neck. She giggled and slid her hand down his back. “Why are you trying to distract me from talking to my brother?” 

    Kat gasped as his hips pressed against her, his erection pressing against her through his jeans. “Boredom.” 

    He growled and kissed her, teeth grasping her bottom lip and pulling it. His hand was on her thigh, pulling her leg up and his hips ground against her. She gasped and grabbed his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. Dean yanked his shirt off, leaning back to throw it off the bed before pressing his body to hers again. Her hands grasped his back, nails biting into his skin. Dean groaned and kissed her, lips pressing hard against hers. His hands were all over her, running up her sides, teasing her breasts, and then pulling her hips to his. 

    She pushed him away, grabbing the waistband of his jeans and undoing them. She pushed them down as far as she could, and he kicked his boots and pants off. He pulled his socks off, and she giggled before his mouth was on her again, his thick shaft rubbing against her wet folds. She moaned into the kiss, his tongue teasing hers, darting in to glide over hers before moving away. 

    He pulled back and took in a deep breath, eyes closed tight. “Fuck, Katie. You drive me crazy.” 

    She pulled him down into a softer kiss, her hand playing with the hair on the back of his head. He pulled away, sliding his body down hers and kissing his way to her nipple. His tongue lashed out, flicking over the already sensitive flesh. 

    Kat whimpered, “Dean, I need you inside of me.” 

    He looked up at her and kissed her other nipple before sliding up, his hand grasping his shaft and guiding it inside of her. She moaned as he filled her up slowly, arms wrapping around his waist. He kissed her neck, his breath hitching as his hips met hers. Kat buried her head in his shoulder, nipping at his skin. He held himself still, letting her body get accustomed to his size. 

     She moved her hips against his, whispering against his neck, “Please, honey.” 

    His hips rocked into hers slowly, Kat’s breath catching in her throat as his length slid out and he quickly thrust back into her. She slid her hand down to his hip, pulling him against her harder as her hips bucked against his. He groaned and kissed her neck, biting before his tongue soothed the ache. 

    He leaned back, settling on his knees, and pulled her other leg up, hips thrusting into her harder as she mewled. Her body felt on fire, the skin over sensitive as the fire settled in her belly. He grabbed her hip with one hand, the other wrapping around her back and pulling her up to his chest. Her legs wrapped around his hips and she moved against him as his mouth found hers, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and teeth grazing it. 

    She groaned and pulled off of him, “Lay down. Now.” 

    Dean’s eyes went wide, but he laid down, and Kat straddled him, guiding him inside of her. She groaned as she stretched to fit him again. She moved over him, hips rocking as she placed a hand on his chest for balance. Kat looked into Dean’s lust filled eyes, his hands coming up to play with her breasts as they bounced in front of him. He leaned up, his mouth latching onto her nipple causing her to let out a throaty moan. The sensation of him sliding in and out of her and his mouth on her was almost too much. She pushed him back down and leaned into him, kissing him softly. 

    His hands slid to her thighs, rubbing them as she quickened her pace. His lips parted with a low moan as she rocked faster. She clenched herself around him, earning another groan from him. She could feel her orgasm coming, and she slowed again, prolonging the moment. His fingers slid to her clit, and she threw her head back, biting her lip to hold back the moan. 

    “Fuck, Dean. You’re gonna make me come.” 

    He chuckled under his breath and grabbed her hips, rolling them over again. He leaned down and nibbled on her earlobe while he moved inside of her. 

    “Katie, I want you to.” His voice deeper as he whispered, “I want to make you come, baby.” 

    Her breath hitched, and she wrapped her arm around his waist, her other hand grabbing his ass and pulling his hips against hers harder. He grinned at her and pumped into her. She moaned and pulled her knees up, hips pumping with his, moving fast and hard. She kissed his neck, her breath coming out in short gasps. She could feel his breath against her skin, his hand on her shoulder, pulling her to his hips. She moaned when his other hand slid between them, drawing circles around her clit. Her eyes slammed shut with the force of her orgasm, a loud moan escaping her throat. 

    He moaned her name, hips slowing down as he pumped into her, his cock twitching inside of her as he climaxed. He slowed to a stop, kissing her neck and down her jaw before capturing her lips. She nipped his bottom lip and giggled when he pulled back, his eyes soft and playful. 

    He ran his fingers through her hair, “I love you, Katie.” 

    Her heart skipped a beat, and she grinned. “I love you too, Dean.”


	38. Fight

   Katherine groaned as her phone went off. She reached onto the motel's bedside table and picked it up, checking the caller ID. Dean mumbled in his sleep, rolling onto his stomach. Kat giggled when the blankets slid down, his bare ass now on display. 

   She answered the phone, “Agent Benetar, here.” 

   She climbed out of bed while listening to the witness they had interviewed two days ago talking about the things she had forgotten. She Uh huh’d and Yeah’d as the women prattled on about useless information. Kat grabbed her jeans and slid them on, fighting to put her socks on before sliding her boots on. 

   “Yes, Ma’am. I’ll let my colleagues know, and we will get back to you as soon as we have any more information for you.” 

   Dean rolled over as she hung up, the blanket tangling around his thighs. “What was that about?” 

   “Witness from a couple of days ago. Says she thinks her dog is acting funny because he puked in her new red shoes…” 

   Dean burst out laughing, “Are you serious?” 

   “I wish I were joking,” Kat sighed. 

   “How long til she figures out that this case is already over?” 

   “Call her and tell her. Otherwise, I’m going to be fielding calls about her mutt for the next year!” 

   He propped himself up on his elbows, “Now that would ruin my fun.” 

   “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m getting dressed.” Kat pulled her shirt on over her tank top. 

   She turned around, trying to find her jacket. She jumped when his arms wrapped around her waist. 

   His hand slid under her shirt, fingers massaging her belly. “Think I might be able to persuade you to climb back into bed?” 

   Kat leaned back into his chest, “Probably, but then I’d be late. I have to catch up with Garth and help him with that case he’s on.” 

   “Mm, I think he can be a big boy for an extra hour or so,” Dean’s lips ran over her shoulder, his hot breath tickling her skin. 

   Running her fingers through his hair, she grinned, “I think you can be a big boy too. You’ve had me three times in the last twenty-four hours. I think you need to give Little Dean a rest.” 

   His hand pressed into her stomach and pushed her harder against him, letting her feel his arousal. “I think he’s had enough of a rest.” 

   She wiggled her hips, rubbing against him and causing him to growl. “I promised him, Honey. You know how much I hate breaking promises.” 

   He groaned and nipped her shoulder before letting her go. “Fine, but you owe me next time we meet back up.” He sat at the desk in their shared room, “We’ve been back together for two months, and we’re always running off on cases.” 

   Kat sighed and knelt in front of him, sliding her hands up his thighs and onto his hips. “I know, Dean, but I’ve done my best to make sure to see you as much as possible.” She licked her lips and stared into his forest green eyes. 

   Cupping her cheek, he ran his thumb over her cheekbone, “I know, but I hate all of this running off to save the day bullshit.” 

   “Maybe I can make you feel better for a little bit longer?” She bent down and kissed the tip of his erection. 

   He groaned, “That’ll make you late because I’m not going to be happy until I have you moaning my name underneath me.” 

   Kat sighed and sat on her heels, “What do you want me to do, Dean? He needs help, and you have to run back to Bobby’s to pick up Sam.” 

   He groaned and rubbed his hand down his face, “I don’t know, Katie.” 

   She huffed and got up, grabbing his old jacket and pulling it on. “Well, when you figure it out, let me know.” 

   Dean sat forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees. “Why are you mad at me?” 

   She didn’t answer, grabbing her bag and starting packing, not sure why either. She went into the bathroom and grabbed her shower stuff before coming out and grabbing her charger and car keys. She was patting down her pockets for her phone when Dean growled and launched out of the chair, grabbing his jeans and pulling them on. 

   “What, Dean? We knew this relationship was going to be hard. We knew it would be a daily struggle to find time to be with each other. I’m not going to try to sugarcoat the truth when we’ve known it from the beginning!” 

   He growled and grabbed her hips, pushing her back until she hit the wall with a soft thump. “You think I don’t remember?! I just wanted to spend more time with you and less time trying to find you.” He leaned his forehead against hers, “Jesus, Katie. I love you. I want to spend every moment I can with you.” 

   “I want the same, Dean! But we’re hunters. We don’t have that luxury. We are constantly on the move, constantly fighting battles that others wouldn’t be able even to comprehend. That’s our fucking lives! You want to give up hunting and go live at my house?” 

   “I can’t do that, and you know it.” 

   “I do. It was rhetorical. I know you can’t, and you know I can’t.” She sighed and closed her eyes, turning her face from his, “Look, if this is too much for you to deal with then just tell me. Tell me now that you want this to be over.” 

    “Why do you do that," Dean growled and slapped the wall behind her, pushing himself away from her and stomping across the room. "Why do you think that, because we are fighting, I want an out?!” 

   She stared at her boots, “Because I don’t know what you want from me, Dean. Because I’m just as new to this shit as you are. Yeah, you had Lisa, but you weren’t hunting then." 

   He groaned, and she heard the bedsprings cry too. “I keep forgetting that you haven’t been in anything long term.” 

   Kat looked through her lashes to see him sitting on the bed, his head in his hands. “Yeah, I’m new to this, but I still don’t understand what we are doing and if this is what we both want? We fought so hard to come back together, and now we just fight or fuck all the time.” 

   Dean sat up and grabbed his shirt, “You know what, Katie? If you’re not happy, then walk out that damn door.” 

   She started to say something, but grabbed her bag instead, whispering, “I’m leaving, Dean, but it’s not because I’m not happy or that I don’t love you. It’s because I need to get to Garth and help him, but maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m too new to this.” 

   She reached for the doorknob and felt a sharp pain in her ribs. She went to reach for them and blinked, forgetting what she was doing. She threw the bag over her shoulder and opened the door, walking out of the room.


	39. Lost

   Kat sat up in bed and whimpered. She couldn’t remember where she was or how she had gotten there. Katherine looked around the lavish room, climbing out of bed and trying to find any hint as to where she was. She discovered the hotel’s name and location and fell to the floor, tears in her eyes. 

    _How did I get to Key West? How long have I been here?_ Kat tried to remember the last place she had been. She remembered helping Garth finish his case in New Jersey. She remembered getting into Cheshire and driving, but everything after that was gone. 

   She searched her room for her phone, finding her burner cell only. She grabbed it and flipped through her call log, seeing nothing that would help. Finally, she pulled her bag out of a small closet and found her journal in the front pocket. It was empty after Garth’s case. She flipped to the front and saw Bobby’s number calling him immediately. 

   “Singer Household.” 

   Kat whimpered when she recognized Sam’s voice, “Sam, is Uncle Bobby there?” 

   “KAT?! Kat, where are you?” 

   “Sam, I need to talk to Uncle Bobby.” 

   Sam sighed, “Bobby’s out with Dean right now. We’ve been taking shifts looking for you with Nicole. Where are you, Kat?” 

   She leaned against the wall,  “Florida. How long have I been missing?” 

   His voice was etched with worry, “You’ve been gone for a month. Dean’s been losing it. Said you two fought before you fell off the face of the earth. We went to your house, and it was empty. Liz has been worried sick. Where are you?” 

   She sniffled, her brain still processing while her mouth took over. “If I tell you, don’t bring Dean. I don’t know what to say to him, and I have no clue where I’ve been. Sam, you have to promise me you’ll come alone. Tell the rest of them you have to check on my house for my sister Kelly or something, but," she paused, looking into his hazel eyes. "Please, Sam.” She didn’t know why she didn’t want anyone else knowing; she just didn’t. 

   He groaned, “Dean’s going to be pissed if he finds out, but fine. Tell me where you are.” 

... 

   Kat woke up to a knock on her room’s door. She checked the peephole, seeing Sam outside. 

   “Are you alone?” 

   “Yeah, now open up.”

   She held the door for him. Sam’s hair was even longer, the ends now brushing against the collar of his red and blue flannel shirt. He gave her a small smile when he walked in and pulled her into a hug. 

   “God, Kat. You scared the crap out of us!” 

    She sniffled and hugged him closer, letting go of the door so it would close. Her breath hitched, and she buried her face into his chest, glad her friend was there to help. His hand slid up to massage between her shoulder blades. 

   “Where have you been?” 

   “I don’t know. I remember leaving New Jersey and then it’s all blank until yesterday. I woke up here. I had to find my journal in my bag because my cell is missing.” 

   Sam laid his head on top of hers, “We’ll figure it out. Just let me check you over.” 

   She stepped back and wiped her streaming eyes, “I’m fine. Just scared.” 

   “You never saw black smoke or fought a witch?” 

   “I don’t think so. I got into Cheshire and started driving. I stopped to get gas and poof. Lights out.” 

   “Okay," Sam sighed. "I’m going to call Dean, Bobby, and Nicky and let them know you’re okay.” 

   She stepped back, “NO! No, Sam. I don’t want them knowing yet.” 

   “Why? Dean’s worried sick. He’s been drinking like a fish again, isn’t sleeping unless he gets piss drunk and passes out. It’s bad, Kat. Bobby isn’t much better. Nicky and I are the only ones handling anything and, Kat, even I was starting to break down.” 

   She hugged herself, mumbling, “I don’t want them to know until I have the whole story. Sam, I’m trusting you.” 

   Sam groaned and ran his hand through his long hair, “Fine, but I’m calling the second we get more information.” 

   Kat hugged Sam again. “I need a shower. Set up your laptop and give me your phone.” 

   “Don’t you trust me?” 

   “Of course, I do, but I also know that you love your brother and Bobby, and you will call the first chance you get. I’m removing temptation.” 

   He dug into the pocket of his jeans and handed her his cell. She went into the bathroom and shut the door. It felt like seconds after pulling her jeans off that she was stepping into a clean pair. Her hair was wet, and she already had her tank back on. She looked at herself in the mirror and groaned.  

   She toweled her hair dry and stepped out of the bathroom. Sam was on his computer, typing away. 

   “Did you figure anything out?” 

   “No. Other than here, the last thing I can find is that gas station. The trail goes dead after that.” He closed the laptop lid and stared at her, “Let me call Bobby. He might have an idea about what to do.” 

   “No. I need to know more first. Why do I keep having memory lapses? I called you, and I don’t remember falling asleep, let alone crawling back into that bed. I step into the bathroom, but I don’t remember washing, drying, or even putting my shirt back on. Sam, Something is wrong!” 

   Sam groaned, “Kat, we need to talk to everyone else. They have to have an idea of what is happening.” 

   “Sam, I answered that. I’m not having them come here and act like I’m back forever when I don’t even know why I was gone!” 

   “At least let me tell Dean you’re alive!” 

   Kat growled, “Dean doesn’t need to know!” 

   “Why?! Is it because of the fight?” 

   “What did he tell you about it?” 

   “Not much. Just that you two fought and you left.” 

   “Does that sound like someone I would want you to call? Someone I walked out on?” 

   He groaned and laid his head in his hands, “No… No, it doesn’t.” He stood, growling, and paced, “But this is Dean! You love him!” 

   She scuffed her foot on the floor, her mouth moving without her permission, “Yeah, I don’t typically run out on the people I love, Sam.” 

   “Kat, are you telling me you have no feelings for him?” 

   She couldn’t remember if she answered him. The next thing she knew, she was walking across the room to Sam. Her mind was screaming at her to listen, but it was doing everything on its own and had been. She felt her fingers reach up and brush through Sam’s hair, felt them rest on his cheek when he turned to stare at her. 

   “What are you doing, Kat?” 

   She couldn’t stop herself from saying, “Sam, I would have called him if I had feelings for him. I called you.” 

   His eyebrows raised, hands clenching at his sides. “Kat? Are you okay?” 

   Her head nodded, “I am now. I needed my friend. I needed the guy that’s always been there for me. Now you’re here, and I’m fine.” 

   Sam grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, “This isn’t right.” 

   “What isn’t right?” She could feel herself get angry, but she didn’t know why. She didn’t know why she was saying what she was or had been. Her mouth was speaking without her permission. “It's not right that I want the one guy in my life who’s never abandoned me to be here with me, that I want him to comfort me, or that I want to touch him because I realized that he is the only guy that has been good to me? Sam, please!” 

   Sam looked conflicted, and Kat’s mind was screaming at her to walk away. Her body was still not responding to her commands.


	40. Sam

   Sam looked at Kat and couldn’t decide what to do. He knew that Dean and Kat had fought and that she had left him there alone. Dean hadn’t told him that they had broken up for good, just that they had argued, but Katherine was standing in front of him, saying they had ended things. 

   He closed his eyes, letting go of her wrist, “It’s not right.” 

   He heard Kat whimper and looked to see her holding herself before she turned around, “Then leave, Sam. Leave me like every other guy has. Leave me like your brother has. I’m just a piece of broken garbage that no one wants.” 

   His heart felt like it was breaking for her, “Kat, you're not garbage, and I’m not leaving you. I just can’t touch you like that.” 

   Kat turned around, tears streaming down her face as she yelled, “Then leave! I wanted you here to help me. Not just to figure out what’s going on but... “ 

   “Call Dean! Let him do this for you!” 

   “Dean broke me! Half a year ago, he left, and I’ve never gotten over it. He came back, and I thought we were better but we weren’t. We constantly fought unless he was fucking me and even then it was like we were fighting. I don’t want that!” 

   Sam groaned, “Then call him and tell him it’s over.” 

   “I told him a month ago it was over! It’s not my fault he didn’t believe me!” 

   Sam shifted on his feet. He wanted to hug her and tell her what Dean had been through the last month, but he also didn’t think it would be right. She was still dealing with the memory issues.  

   He couldn’t help but be happy that she trusted him. He had had a crush on her since he was eleven and the idea of her standing in front of him screaming at him that she liked him too was too much for him. The only thing holding him back was Dean, and that resolve was breaking down slowly. 

  “Sam, please look at me.” He looked into her grey eyes as she wiped her cheeks and licked her full, rosy lips, “Sam, please. You’re one of my best friends. Do you think it’s easy for me to tell you that I have developed feelings for you?” 

   His resolve broke with her words. He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her. His hand found the small of her back and pulled her closer as the other tangled in her thick raven hair, tilting her head back so he could press his lips to hers. She whimpered before her lips parted and her hand came up to curl around the back of his neck, holding him to her. 

   Sam groaned into the kiss, parting his lips to gently pull her bottom lip into his mouth, letting his tongue run across the soft skin. Her hand on his neck moved up, running through his hair, as the other slid over his chest. Kat pulled back slightly, her lips never leaving his as she slid her fingers over the top button of his shirt. Her eyes locked on his, silently asking permission. He nodded and kissed her again, moving his lips over hers while she slowly unbuttoned his flannel shirt. 

   He ran his hands over her sides while she unbuttoned his shirt, neither breaking their kiss. He swept his tongue over her bottom lip, and she parted hers, his tongue eagerly darting in to tangle with hers. His hand slid over her stomach, his thumb brushing the underside of her breast causing her to moan into the kiss. 

   Sam pulled back as she pushed his flannel off his shoulders. She pulled it off of him and threw it to the side, her hands coming up to trail over the muscles of his chest. He closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers as he hissed in a breath. Sam reached for the bottom of Kat’s tank top, and she shied away, stepping back and whimpering. 

   He stepped closer, pulling her to his chest, before whispering, “It’s okay. You can keep it on if you want.” 

   She smiled up at him before grazing her fingers down his stomach, making his breath hitch as the bulge in his jeans became uncomfortable. “Thank you, Sammy.” 

   He groaned and stepped back, “Shit, Kat.” He ran his hand through his hair, “Are you sure about this?” 

   Kat sighed and sat on the bed. “Don’t tell me you’re going to play the good guy now?!” 

   Sam rankled at her words, “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

   She stood up and grumbled, “That you are going to back down now. Chicken out. Whatever you want to call it.” 

   He glared at her, “So being nice is a bad thing now? A little bit ago, that’s what you wanted!” 

   “And now I want you not to be a bitch about this!” 

   Sam growled and grabbed her, pulling her to him and grabbing her hair, pulling her head back. “Don’t call me a bitch, Kat.” 

   His lips crashed into hers, his parting to pull her bottom lip into his mouth before his teeth nipped it. He slid his hands down her body, stopping to grasp her ass firmly. She groaned, her hands wrapping around his back, nails dragging across his lower back. He pushed his hips hard against her, grinding himself against her. 

   She gasped and pulled her lips from his, face nuzzling into his chest. She slid her hand between them, fingers trailing over his hip before sliding down his abs. He groaned as she pressed her hand against his arousal, hips bucking into her. Sam leaned down to kiss her neck, stopping to nip and suck at the soft skin. Her fingers slid over him before coming to his waistband and undoing his pants, thumbs looping in the band and pushing them down. 

   Sam didn’t waste any time. He leaned down and grabbed her thighs, picking her up quickly and smiling as her legs wrapped around his hips. He kicked off his jeans while his lips and mouth left little marks on her neck. He climbed onto the bed and laid with her underneath him, one arm holding him above her while the other went between them, fingers rubbing against her jean-covered core. 

   Kat whimpered and pushed her hips up, grinding herself against his hand. Sam grinned and unbuttoned her jeans, leaning back on his knees to pull them off of her. A moan escaped his lips as he saw she had no panties underneath. She was laid bare in front of him, and he shoved his boxer briefs off, throwing them off the bed. Kat pulled him down, lips coming against his hard as her hand grasped the base of him. 

   His fingers trailed over her sides and stomach before cupping her hot core. He groaned as her deft fingers slid over his shaft and he slid a finger between her wet folds, letting it graze over the entrance before sliding it up to her clit. Her head kicked back in a moan when he started drawing small circles around the bud. 

   He dropped his face to her shoulder, kissing and nipping the flesh there, mouth sucking it in and leaving new marks. Kat’s hand quickened its pace and Sam groaned against her sweet-smelling skin. He slid his finger down, thumb rubbing her clit while the other plunged into her, crooking to find her spot. She was panting underneath him as he pushed another finger in and her hand swirled around his erection. 

   He pulled her hand from him, crawling down the bed to settle between her thighs. He kissed and nipped at the soft skin of her thighs. His fingers thrust into her, and he smiled when she moaned his name. He kissed down her leg, his mouth slowly coming down to kiss her folds before using his thumb to part them. He licked a long stripe from her entrance to her clit, and her hips rolled. He moved his fingers slowly as he brushed his lips over her clit, earning a whimper before his tongue lashed out to taste her again. 

    He groaned as she whimpered again and he sucked on the small bundle of nerves, tongue flicking over it as his fingers found her sweet spot again. She moaned loudly, her fingers tangling in his hair. He groaned as her back arched, her soft moan filling the room as he slowed. He slowly pulled his fingers from her, licking her sweet liquid from his fingers. 

   Sam heard his phone ring but didn’t move to answer it. Kat was whimpering under him, begging for him and he needed to comply. He climbed up her body, her hand wrapping around him again. He groaned as she slid her hand over his shaft. He kissed her neck and grabbed her hand, pushing it to the base of him before lining himself up with her entrance. Sam leaned back to look into her eyes, silently asking her what she wanted before rubbing his tip against her folds, making sure to rub over her clit. 

   Kat arched her back and mewled, “Fuck me, Sammy. Please!” 

   He growled and lined himself up again, her hand still tight around him under his hand. He slid the tip into her, groaning at how wet and tight she was. Sam pushed into her further, removing his hand from over hers and sliding it up her stomach to cover her cotton covered breast. Kat pulled him down into a deep kiss, her tongue sliding into his mouth, twirling with his. He groaned and pushed the rest of the way into her, grinning as she moaned loudly. 

   He closed his eyes and waited for her to relax, pulling out as soon as she did and leaving only his tip in before smiling widely as she pouted at him and bucked her hips. He hooked his elbow under her leg and lifted it up, pushing deep into her again. Kat’s breath hitched, and she mewled as he quickened his pace and her hands gripped his upper arms. 

   Sam leaned back on his heels, hooking Kat’s other leg and pulling her with him. Her breath came out in a small gasp every time his hips slapped against hers. He used her legs to pull her to him while his hips rolled into hers and his thumb slipped between her folds, rubbing her clit. He could hear her getting close as she mewled under him, his cock twitching as the base tingled, warning him of his impending release. 

   Sam pulled out, Kat whimpering as he did. He leaned down, grinning at her as he moved his hips against her, his shaft rubbing against her clit. She pouted and begged Sam to keep going, and Sam grabbed his base, sliding back into her. He moaned, dropping his face to her neck as he thrust in and out of her. Sam slid his hand up her stomach, running his hand over her breast before pulling down her top and exposing it. 

   She gasped as his thumb rubbed over her nipple. He bent down, taking the hardened tip into his mouth and flicking it with his tongue. Katherine’s hips bucked hard into his, and he growled against her breast, teeth grazing her nipple. Sam kissed up to her shoulder, nibbling at the soft skin as he quickened his pace. Her breath was coming out in quick gasps every time he pushed into her, and he groaned as her nails raked his scalp and back. 

   He could feel himself getting close again and tried to pull out, but Kat held him to her, rolling her hips to his and whimpering, “Please, Sammy. I… I need you to come with me.” 

   He groaned and nibbled her neck, taking in her lavender and ozone smell. Her arms wrapped tighter around him, one hand grabbing his ass while the other floated through his hair before holding his face to her neck. He pulled her knees up, pushing deeper into her with each hard thrust. 

   Sam moaned as her breath hitched and her nails bit into his backside, his cock twitching as he released deep inside of her. She pushed her face into his neck and moaned before biting his shoulder. Sam slowed down, working them through their climaxes as Kat’s legs shook and both of their breaths came out in short gasps. 

    Sam halted and rolled off of her and onto his back. He lay like that for a moment, catching his breath. He threw his arm over his face, realizing what he had just done. He felt Kat moving and looked over as she slid off the bed and gathered her clothes. 

   “Shit. Kat, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

   Kat threw a t-shirt over her tank and whispered, “No, we shouldn’t have done that.” 

   Sam rolled off the bed and grabbed his clothes, hearing heavy footfalls outside the door. Sam pulled on his jeans, leaving them undone while he searched for his shirt. A loud knock sounded at the door before a key slid in the lock and it flew open. 

   Sam stared into his brother’s eyes, reading the shock plainly on his face. He zipped his pants and grabbed his flannel shirt, pulling it over his shoulders. Kat yelped and slid her jeans up over her bare thighs, buttoning them. 

   Dean looked between the two of them, realization and then pain registering in his eyes. “You... Son of a bitch!”

   Sam put his hands up in defense. “Dean, Let me explain…” 

   Dean growled and ran at his brother, tackling him to the ground. “What the fuck, Sam?!” 

   Kat whimpered while watching the brothers fight, turning her back and grabbing her bag. When she turned around again, she was smiling while tears rolled down her face. 

   “Sorry to fuck and run, but I’ve got places to be, boys.” 

   Dean and Sam stopped long enough to see Kat blink, her eyes black when she opened them again, and she grabbed her jacket and ran out of the door.


	41. Gone

   Dean growled and untangled from his brother on the floor. He jumped up and ran after Kat, chasing her through the stairwell. Dean crashed through the parking lot’s door in time to see her purple BMW peel out. He turned around and punched the wall, not caring when his hand throbbed after its impact with the hard concrete. 

   Sam burst through the door seconds later, “Where did she go?” 

   “She’s gone. Got down here in time to see her car drive away.” He turned away from his younger brother and walked over to Baby, trying to get his anger under control. 

   Sam groaned, “Dammit! What are we going to do?” 

   Dean glared at his brother, “We?! I’m not doing anything. She disappeared for a month, and now she comes back, sleeps with you, and runs away again. I’m done.” 

   “Dean, she’s possessed. You had to have seen her eyes turn black.” 

   Dean hung his head, remembering the pitch black eyes staring at him. “Yeah, I saw,” Dean mumbled while he sat on Baby’s hood, anger slowly ebbing. 

   “So you know that she... “ Sam sighed and scratched the back of his head. “So you know she wasn’t the one who did that.” 

   Dean glared at the concrete wall in front of him, “I know she didn’t. What I didn’t know was that you wouldn’t seem to have a problem doing it.” 

   Sam stared reproachfully at Dean. “She told me that you guys were over, that you had broken up. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have known it was bullshit, but…” 

   “But you fucked my girlfriend anyway.” 

   Sam winced, “I didn’t know. If I had realized she was possessed sooner, I would've never done that. I don’t even know why I did it. I knew I shouldn’t…” 

   Dean growled, “Not helping yourself, Sam.” 

   “Dean, I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you. Let me help you track her.” 

   “How are you going to do that, Sam? This demon has had her for who knows how long. For all we know, she’s been possessed for more than a month, which shouldn’t be possible with her tattoo.” 

   Sam sighed, “Call Bobby. Fill him in and see if he can figure something out. I’m going to track my phone.” 

   “Your phone?” 

   “She took it from me. It should still be in her pocket.” 

   Dean watched his brother head back into the hotel, seething. He wanted to be happy that he had figured out what was possibly going on with Katie, but he couldn’t. The image of her pulling on her jeans while Sam zipped up his was burned into his mind. 

   Dean stewed for a couple of minutes before cursing and hopping off of his car. He walked back upstairs and into the room where Sam was working hard at his computer. 

   “So what are we going to do?”


	42. Demon

   Kat was screaming in her mind. The demon that had possessed her just chuckled and kept making her relive what had happened in the hotel room with Sam. She kept trying to take control of her body, but the demon was too powerful. So Kat waited it out, fighting occasionally, but trying to conserve strength.

   It had been three months since the incident between her and Sam in the hotel. Sometimes the demon would let her see what was happening, most of the time she was living in a black haze filled with images of what she had done, what the demon had done. She needed to figure out why this demon had picked her.

   The demon was in control of her body when it checked them into a new motel. They were in Illinois again, somewhere near Princeton. She recognized bits and pieces of the town from visits with her aunt.

   The demon parked by the entrance closest to the room they had been staying in that week and ran up the stairs, unlocking the door and throwing her bag onto the small desk inside. It walked towards the chair by the desk and sat down, leaning back. The demon in Kat grumbled about its meatsuit before getting up and walking towards the bathroom but stopped when it ran into an invisible barrier.

   It curled it’s lip, “Fuck!” It looked up to see the devil’s trap on the ceiling. Its voice took on a whimsical tone, “Oh, Winchesters. Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

   Dean walked out of the bathroom, Sam and Nicole close behind. “Hey, bitch. How ya doing today?”

   The demon tsked at Dean, “Is that any way to talk to your girlfriend?” It grinned and looked at Sam, “Or is she your girlfriend now?”

   Dean growled while Sam gave his best bitch face, “Yeah, you’re not going to get a rise out of us that quickly.

   Demon chuckled, “You know, I thought I wouldn’t, but can’t blame a demon for trying.”

   Nicky glared, “Why did you take Katherine?”

   The demon looked her over, smiling wickedly, “Too bad you weren’t on the Fuck List. You would be yummy to play with.”

   She rolled her eyes, “Yeah, been there, done that. Not interested in women anymore.”

   Demon giggled, “Ooo! You should hear this girl yelling in here. She is not happy with me. Did you know that Dean-o over there didn’t know that Kat was bisexual? I’m learning new things about this chickadee every day.”

   Dean rolled his eyes, “Don’t care if she’s bi.”

   Nicole stepped forward, her voice a growl, “Why Katherine?”

   “Because these Winchester boys have made it a mission to kill my family and ruin my fun. Figured I’d repay the kindness.”

   Dean glared, “Fuck you, bitch.”

   The demon smirked, looking at Kat's nails. “Again, calling her a bitch. You’d think your mommy would have taught you better.” It covered it’s mouth, “Oops, sore subject?”

   Dean groaned, “Can’t you demons find something else to try to get to us with other than the fact that our mother was killed by one of you asshats?”

   The demon grinned, “We could, but it works so well. Mom, Dad, shitty childhoods, your girlfriend's a whore. There is so much material.”

   Sam crossed his arms over his chest, glaring. “If you don't give us Kat back, we’ll have to force you out.”

   “Force me, and you force her. Lovely things, binding links. Keeps me warm in this meatsuit while you frantically try to figure out what you can do about it.”

   Nicky looked at the two men, whispering, “What now?”

   Dean grinned, “Now we figure out what kind of binding it put on Kat.”

   The demon sat on the floor and giggled, “Good luck, dearies. I’m growing bored. How about I let Kat out for a bit? Maybe I’ll poke around inside her a bit.”

   Kat gasped as the demon gave her the reins, “Guys, Nicky. The binding is…”

    “No no, Kitty Kat. No sharing secrets,” it growled within her.

   Kat screamed as the demon put immense pressure on her internal organs. Dean, Sam, and Nicky winced, tears building in Nicky’s eyes as Kat thrashed on the floor.

   Kat sucked in a breath when the pressure let up, “Guys, kill it!”

   They shook their heads, Nicky whispering, “That’ll kill you too, Kat.”

   The demon took over again, “Oh, Kitty Kat is just upset. She wouldn’t be so quick to ask for death if she knew everything that has happened over the last five months.” It shrugged. "Or maybe she would. Who knows?"

   Sam knelt outside the trap, “What do you mean?”

    “Well, she’s fucked a lot, though I don’t think that’ll make a difference. No, I think it’s better as a surprise.”

   Dean growled, “You’ve been riding her for five months?”

   “Oh, yes and can I just say, it’s hard to decide which Winchester is a better fuck, though Dean-o seems to know this one’s body better.” Kat whimpered in her mind, _Shut up, bitch! Leave them out of this._ “Though Sammy-boy! Wow, he did a damn good job considering he had no clue what she liked.” _Shut up!!_ “Oh boys, you should hear her in here.” The demon threw its voice, “‘Oh, don’t hurt my boyfriends! Hurt me, not them! Boo Hoo Hoo!’ Why did you choose such a weak human? I thought you’d pick a badass chick.”

   Dean shook his head, grumbling, “If you think she’s weak, you don’t know her that well.”

   “Oh, I know things about her that would make you run for the hills.”

   “Try us.” Nicky shrugged while Sam pulled out his laptop and started researching.

   The demon laughed, “And ruin the surprise?!” All three gave it an unimpressed look, “Well alright then. Nick-Knack, go rifling through her bag and see what you can find.”

   Nicky flipped off the demon, but grabbed Kat’s bag and started digging. She pulled out lube, sex toys, clothes, phones, money, and a small envelope.

   “Oh!” The demon grinned, “Someone won the jackpot! What do you think that envelope is, boys?”

   Nicky looked it over and shrugged. She handed it to Dean, who turned it over and opened it. He pulled out three small pictures. His face turned white after looking at each one.

   His voice broke as he called out, “Sam, you need to see these.”

   Kat had no idea what was happening. She didn’t know what was in those pictures, but as Sam took them from Dean’s hand, his face blanched. Nicky ran over and looked at them, her hand covering her mouth.

   Nicky sniffled, “Oh Kat!”

   “Oh, she doesn’t know. I’ve worked very hard to keep it from her.” The demon sighed, “You should hear her in here, begging to know what’s made her boyfriends so upset.”

    Nicky flipped over the picture she was holding. It was a black and white image of a sonogram. At the top was Katherine’s name with “11wks 2ds” written underneath, and a small oblong black spot filled with the head, body, and legs of a fetus.

   Kat’s mind went blank as she screamed, “No! That isn’t possible!”

   The demon took over again, laughing, “Maybe she is a strong one. But Kitty, it’s true. I had your IUD removed soon after taking over. It was fun to think about the shitstorm it would stir up. Little Kitty who never wanted kids fucking until she got pregnant, but it took a while for that little thing to happen.”

   Kat’s mind was racing, _Who’s baby is it? Is it Dean’s or Sam’s?_

   The demon laughed, “Oh Kitty. It could be anyone's child. The Winchesters aren’t the only ones that have sampled this dish.”

   Kat watched as her friends registered what was said, a mix of shock, pain, and anger flashing over their faces. Kat’s heart broke, and she curled into a small corner in her mind, shaking and rocking back and forth.

   “Oh, she’s so tough until she finds that out. Now, poor wittle Kitty is all broken in the corner.”

   Kat felt a fresh lash of anger and pushed her way forward, “This changes nothing, guys. Kill the demon! I don’t care if I go to Hell!”

   “You know we can’t do that, Katherine," Dean whispered with a sigh. "The baby would die too.”

   Kat winced at him using her full name and withdrew into her mind’s corner. Dean stepped forward, Nicky grabbing his arm, and the demon chuckled.

    “Can’t do anything until you figure out where or what is binding us together.”

    Kat growled and surged forward, “FINE! Binding right thigh.” She screamed as the demon crushed her from the inside, her organs twisting within her. She fought to keep control, losing quickly. Dean jumped into the circle with Nicky. Grabbing Kat and holding her down, Nicky caught the Demon-Killing knife Sam tossed and sliced through the brand, the cut sizzling. Both jumped out of the circle quickly as Kat screamed and the demon tried to grab Nicky’s ankle as she ran out.

   Dean quickly rattled off the words to the exorcism ritual as Sam got up to stop him, Sam reaching his brother too late. Kat’s back arched off the floor, blood streaming from her leg as the demon smoked from her mouth. When the last of it left, Kat rolled onto her side in the middle of the trap, facing away from the others.

   Nicky slowly walked over, her hand barely touching Kat. Katherine crawled away, finding the corner furthest from them and curling up in a ball, crying into her knees.

   “Kat, at least let me bandage your leg,” Nicky mumbled.

   Kat grabbed a blanket from the bed next to her, hugging it to the cut. Nicky shooed the guys out of the door and sat across the room, talking to Kat in a low voice.

   “Look, Kat. There are things you can do. You don’t have to keep the baby.”

   “I think it’s too late for an abortion and I would never be able to do that anyway." Katherine swiped at her cheeks, muttering, "What if it’s Dean’s, or even Sam’s? I couldn’t do that knowing it was my boyfriend's or my best friend’s. Adoption means I still have to carry this baby to term and... “ She sobbed and looked at her friend, “I don’t know if I can do that. Give it up? But, I didn’t want children. I wanted to be an awesome aunt and make some guy a fun girlfriend. I never wanted anything else because that meant losing out on hunting and putting my family in danger!”

   Nicky sighed and slowly walked over, treating Kat like a small wounded animal. “Kat, Dean loves you. He’ll…”

   Kat cut her off with a harsh laugh, “You heard that demon. I’ve been fucking anything with a dick, apparently. It might not be Dean’s. It might not even be Sam’s. For all I know, it’s some hillbilly’s named Billy Bob with one fucking tooth! Dean loved me when I was his badass hunter girlfriend. But then I walked out on him during a fight because Garth needed help and came back a month later and fucked his brother. Now I'm pregnant, something he never wanted to happen, and it might be his, might be his brother's, might be anybody's.”

   Nicky sighed, “That demon was with you for all of that fight. You heard it. Five months. For FIVE months it has been turning your life upside down.”

   “That changes nothing. It’s not likely that it’s either of theirs. Dean was four months ago. The baby is eleven weeks. That’s three plus months. It could be Sam’s, but it could be whoever else that demon had me fucking. How is Dean going to feel about the idea that his girlfriend, if I can even call myself that anymore, is carrying his brother’s kid? Or some random guys?”

   Nicky went to talk, and Kat covered her ears, “I don’t want to talk anymore. I want to go home. Just… Take me home, Nicky.”


	43. Choice

   Nicky made her wait before she would let them leave. She bandaged Katherine’s leg and arranged for Dean and Sam to follow them back to Kat’s home before loading Kat into her BMW, handing the keys to her car to Sam. Sam and Dean tried making small talk with Kat, but she kept breaking down in tears and hiding from them. She couldn’t deal with the shame she felt about what had happened.

   Nicky let Kat blare the radio all the way to her home. Liz was waiting for them on the porch when they arrived, her leg bouncing as she sat on the railing. She jumped down the steps and pulled Kat into a hug, refusing to let her go. Kat sobbed onto her friend's shoulder, allowing her to lead her inside while the guys and Nicky parked the cars. Liz took her to her den and helped her shower before laying her down in her bed.

   Liz piled the pillows around Kat before sitting on the edge of the bed and brushing her fingers through Kat's damp hair. Kat pulled Dean’s pillow to her, hugging it and crying as his scent filled her nose.

   “Kat, I called a doctor and set up an appointment for a well check on you and the baby. He can talk to you about options too.”

   Kat threw Liz a thumbs up and hid under the blankets again. Liz sighed and retreated upstairs. Kat laid under the sheets for what felt like hours, alternating between crying and being angry. She heard someone come downstairs again and the lights in the room dimmed. Someone moved to her side of the bed and turned her stereo on low. Kat sighed and peeked out, knowing who she would see on the edge of the bed.

   He smiled sadly at her, “Remember when we talked about how shitty hunters’ lives can be?”

   She gave Sam a small smile, looking away quickly, “I believe I said it was shittastic.”

   He grunted, “Getting any better for you?”

    “Oh by leaps and bounds. I got possessed by a demon, fought with my boyfriend. I screwed my best guy friend, who happens to be my boyfriend’s brother. Hell, apparently, I screwed anything with a dick. Now I’m knocked up, probably by Casper The Friendly Ghost or Hillbilly Bob .”

   “Yeah, sounds like my last few months. Watched my brother turn into a raging alcoholic again. Got duped by a demon into fucking my best friend, even though I knew I shouldn’t. Lost my best friend because the demon riding her made her go underground again. When I finally found her, she’s pregnant, and it could be mine, my brother’s…” He groaned, “Now my brother can barely look at me and my best friend can’t either.”

   Kat pulled him down in front of her, his back to her. She wrapped her arms around his chest and laid her forehead against the back of his head. Sam sighed and covered her arms with one of his. She pushed the images of them in bed together to the end of her mind, unable to deal with the memories.

   “I’m so sorry, Sam.”

   “You didn’t do anything wrong, Kat. I knew I should have walked away in that hotel room. I…”

   “You just wanted to believe what I was saying. Or what the demon was saying.”

   “I’m sorry, Kat. I should have listened to myself. Now I’ve fucked things up for you and Dean.”

   Kat sniffled, whispering, “I’m pretty sure the demon fucked shit up. I mean, I’m not one hundred percent on most of this shit, but this much I know. You would’ve never done anything if you hadn’t been provoked.”

   Sam stiffened, “So.. So you were…”

   Kat sighed, closing her stinging eyes, “I was conscious during it. I wasn’t in control. I tried so hard to tell you what was happening, but it wouldn’t let me. Afterward, it let me have the reins so I could get dressed, but it took over fairly quickly after Dean came in the room.”

   “Shit, Kat! I’m sorry,” He groaned.

   She hugged him tighter, “Sam, It’s not your fault.”

   “It is my fault. I know you. I know you don’t like me like that. I… I wanted to believe so bad that someone could feel that way about me again.”

    Kat let go of him and pulled him to face her, covering his hand on the bed with hers. “Sam, that demon knew exactly how to get to you. It was in my head. How many times have we talked about you and women? About what you and Jessica had? Or what you wish you had again?”

   He didn’t meet her gaze, staring at the wall behind her, “Countless.”

   “Exactly, Sam. That bitch knew what to tell you, how to say it, and what buttons to press. I don’t blame you.” She forced his hazel eyes to look into her grey/blue ones, “I don’t blame you and neither would Dean if he knew that. She used my knowledge against you.”

   Sam nodded, and she could see the tears in his eyes, “Thanks, Kat. I need to figure out a way to forgive myself, I guess.”

   Kat heard someone clear their throat and she looked at the doorway to her room. Dean was standing there watching them. Kat closed her eyes and squeezed Sam’s hand.

   She cleared her throat, “How long have you been there, Dean?”

   “I followed Sam down.”

   Sam's hand jerked under hers, Katherine opening her eyes to see his shock, “I didn’t hear you.”

   Dean shrugged and walked over, sitting on his side of the bed, leaning against the headboard, “You were pretty distracted.”

   “Then you heard all of that.” He nodded. Kat groaned and threw the blankets over her head again. “God! If you hate me so much, why not fucking kill me? Why torture me?”

   Sam gave a dry laugh, “Because he’s a jerk.”

   Dean huffed, “I’d have called him a dick, but both work.”

   They sat in silence for a while. Kat stayed under the blanket, Sam’s hand covered with hers. Dean shifted, and Kat peeked out to see him watching her and Sam.

   “Dean, if you heard that, then you know that Sam and I are just friends.” He nodded, “Then why are you staring?”

   “Because I’m trying to process everything and Sam’s leaking.”

   She looked at Sam, who still had a few tears on his cheeks. “He’s crying, not leaking. He’s not a car.” Kat wiped the tears from Sam’s face, “Probably doesn’t help that he hates himself right now or that his brother is staring at him like he doesn’t trust him.”

   Dean sighed, “It’s not that I don’t trust him. It’s more so that I’m trying to figure shit out and nothing is clicking into place.”

   Sam groaned, “Please stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Kat smiled at him, letting go of his hand to pull his head down and kiss his forehead. “I’m going to go upstairs. Thanks for talking to me, Kat.”

   She smiled, “Anytime, Sam.” He got up and kissed Kat’s forehead before leaving. Kat rolled over and looked at Dean, “Hi.”

   He nodded, arms crossed over his chest, “Hey.”

   “Anything I can help you figure out?”

   “I don’t know if you want to talk about it.”

   “Try me.”

   He looked at her and sighed, turning to look at the far wall, “If you’re eleven weeks, it can’t be mine.”

   Kat’s throat felt tight as she whispered, “I don’t think so. It’s been four months since we did anything, as far as I know.”

   “Yeah, it has.”

   She sighed, wiping the tears from her face, “Then I guess not… I’m sorry, Dean.”

   He shrugged, his voice gruff, “Never really wanted kids anyway. Sam did, so maybe it’ll be his, and he can have that.”

   Kat felt like she was being stabbed in the heart and she curled up in a ball, her voice breaking as she replied, “Yeah, maybe.”

   “Were you trying to break up with me at that hotel?” Dean looked down at her, his hand unwinding to wipe away her tears.

   “No, Dean! I told you when I left; I wasn’t leaving because I didn’t love you or that I wasn’t happy. I just needed to get to Garth!”

   He closed his eyes, mumbling, “That’s what I thought you said when you left.” He slid off the bed and stared at the blankets, “Look, I-I need some time to process all of this.”

   “I know. Just let me know what you decide, Dean.”


	44. Doctor

   Dean, Sam, and Nicky left the next day. Liz stayed with Kat, taking care of her over the next few days with Kat's sister, Kelly. The day of Kat’s appointment arrived, and she was nervous. She showered and dressed quickly, sitting at her breakfast nook for an hour while she waited. Finally, Liz took pity on her, leaving the house and reaching the office thirty minutes early.

   Dr. Marc was an older man that Liz had seen through her last pregnancy. Kat got called in quickly, and he confirmed the pregnancy for his office. Kat had to sit through exams and tests before the doctor took her and Liz in for a sonogram. It took a while for the doctor to get the machine warmed up and he spent the time talking.

   “Ms. Gunner, I know you said you had an ultrasound before, but we’d like to double check dates and try to give you a more accurate timeline. Your prior ultrasound and dates are a little off from our measurements, but that isn’t unheard of in pregnancies. It’s best to double check, though. If you have anything you want to know or anything you want to see, please feel free to ask.”

   Kat nodded, “I just would like to know how far along I am.”

   “I understand. I’ll do my best, but it’s hard to find exact dates based on fetal measurements.”

   She stared at the screen as it flickered to life. The doctor pulled out a bottle of gel and squirted some on her belly before grabbing the ultrasound wand and sliding it over her stomach.

   Katherine felt the sudden urge to vomit as she watched the baby kick and move. She had thought briefly about kids, but the reality was terrifying. The doctor and nurse talked back and forth while he moved the wand around and Kat tried to make her breathing slow down. Liz’s hand came down on hers, and she smiled wanly at her friend.


	45. Help

   “Why do we need to call her,” Dean growled.  
  
    Sam sighed, “Because she’s the best bet we have for finding out what is behind the deaths right now. Bobby is AWOL, and his protege would be Katherine. Plus, we are right down the road from her house; it would be easier for her to help us.”  
  
    “Fine. You call. I’m grabbing another beer.” Dean took a long draught from his beer as he got up.  
  
    Sam groaned as Dean left the table, heading to the bar. He pulled out his phone and pulled up Kat’s contacts page. He stared at the picture and shook his head.The three of them were sitting on the couch in her living room, huddled close and smiling widely. It was from when she and Dean were still together.  
  
    Kat had broken up with Dean shortly after they had exorcised the demon riding her. Dean didn’t talk about why, but Sam thought it had to do with the baby. He knew she should have had the baby by then, but she had stopped talking to Sam a couple of months back, only telling him she was almost sure he wasn’t the dad. He pressed the call button and hoped she would answer.  
  
    “Hello?”  
  
    “Kat? It’s Sam.”  
  
    Her voice turned wary, “Hey, Sam. What can I do for you?”  
  
    “I’m on a case, and Bobby isn’t available. I was hoping I could meet up with you and pick your brain for a minute about what I’m tracking.”  
  
    Kat sighed, “I’m not hunting right now, so it should be fine. Are you near Peoria?”  
  
    “Yeah, I’m in Kewanee.”  
  
    “Oh! You’re really close. I’ll be at the bar until ten tonight. You’re welcome to drop by, and I’ll see if I can help.”  
  
    “Thanks, Kat.”  
  
    “Don’t mention it. See you later.”  
  
    Sam hung up and sighed. He waved Dean down as he flirted with some girl in a halter top. Dean glared at him before walking over.  
  
    “Damn it, Sammy. I could have hooked that if you could have given me one more minute.”  
  
    “And what? Stared at her until she left?”  
  
    Sam stood and gathered his stuff, Dean glaring at him. “I’m heading to Kat’s bar to talk to her about the case. You coming or are you going to try to hook up with that girl in the all denim outfit?”  
  
    Dean grumbled, watching the girl turn to flirt with another guy, “I’ll go. Looks like that girl’s moved on already.”  
  
    Sam rolled his eyes as Dean slurred half his words. “Look, I didn’t tell Kat I was with you, so if you want to bow out, that’s fine. She won’t even know you didn’t come.”  
  
    “I’m coming.”  
  
    Sam sighed and led Dean out to the car. He made sure all of their stuff was in the back before pulling out of the dive bar and heading to Kat’s. It was an hour-long ride, so Sam had Dean take a nap. He needed the quiet to calm his temper with his drunk brother.  
  
    He nudged Dean awake when they pulled up across the street from Kat’s bar, Lore. “Dean, wake up.” Dean yawned, and Sam groaned, “Dude, you smell like a brewery.”  
  
    His brother wiped a hand down his face, “You smell… Like a brewery.”  
  
    “Lame, man. C'mon.”  
  
    They walked in as a song was ending. Liz waved them over and told them it was a practice night for the next big event. Dean grumbled and sat at the table, looking every bit the pissed off ex. Liz patted Dean’s hand and smiled at Sam, pulling him into a hug.  
  
    “Long time, no see, guys. How’s life?”  
  
    “Good,” Sam replied.  
  
    “Shit,” Dean grumbled.  
  
    “Well, hopefully, we can help with that. Kat’s gotta perform in a second; then you guys can have a chat.”  
  
    Dean rolled his eyes and smiled sarcastically, “Awesome…”  
  
    Sam nudged him with his elbow, before turning back to Liz, “Sorry. He’s not too thrilled to be here.”  
  
    “I’ve seen worse. Guessing he hasn’t seen her in a while.”  
  
    “Not since the day after we brought her home from Princeton.”  
  
    “Oh! Wow, that was seven months ago!”  
  
    Sam nodded and looked at the stage as a new song started.


	46. Reunion

   Kat stepped onto the stage as Hey Violet’s “Hoodie” started, adjusting her t-shirt over her flattened belly. She had decided to try singing and dancing this time around, much to Liz’s delight. Kat hated her voice, but her friend thought it could be fun. She grabbed the mic and started singing and dancing, trying not to laugh when she heard, Liz’s whoop. She had thrown on Dean’s old jacket for the dance, smiling at Ashlyn dancing in her ex’s hooded sweater and Heather dancing in her exes t-shirt.

_“I can’t keep your love._

_I can’t keep your kiss._

_Gave you everything and all I got was this._

_I’m still rocking your hoodie_

_And chewing on the strings_

_It makes me think about you_

_So I wear it when I sleep.”_

    She smiled down at Liz, noticing she was sitting with two people. She waved at Sam, trying to figure out who the other person was. Her breath caught in her throat when his green eyes caught on hers. Ashlyn came over and touched her shoulder, and she shook it off, continuing the song. She tried not to look at Dean as she sang.

  _“If you want it back,_

_If you want it back,_

_I’m here waiting._

_Come and take it back._

_Come and take it back.”_

     She finished her song and Ashlyn hugged her. She smiled and waved her off before jumping off the stage and walking over to Liz, ruffling Sam’s hair as she passed.

    “Hey, Lizzie-kins. Was that better?”

    “Peachy, my peach. Can’t believe you’re back onstage already!”

    Kat shrugged and hugged Sam’s shoulders. “Hey, Sam! It’s been too long. How are you?”

    Sam grinned at her. “I’m good. You look great. How’s the baby?”

    “Driving me insane, but in the best ways. Sorry I haven’t been in touch. Hard to get away from the kid.”

    Dean cleared his throat, “Ever find the dad?”

    Kat blushed, and Sam hit him. “What the hell, Dean?”

    “It’s fine, Sam. Yes, I am pretty sure we know who the dad is.”

    Dean grumbled and stood, “Well tell him congrats. Hope you two are happy together.”

    Liz cleared her throat. “Dean, why don’t I take you to the bar and find you a drink?”

    Dean shrugged and followed Liz as Sam groaned, “I’m sorry about him, Kat. I thought he’d stay behind.”

    Kat pulled up a chair, smiling at her friend. “I can’t blame him for being angry. I broke up with him.”

    “Yeah, I know you did, but why did you?”

    “He didn’t want to be a dad, Sam.”

    “But he wasn’t. He could have been a stepdad.”

    Kat sighed and opened her mouth, only to have her words drowned out by a baby squealing. Ashlyn came from the back room holding a small, writhing bundle. Kat smiled warmly and stood to take the baby, bouncing it lightly and cooing. She came back over and sat by Sam once the infant stopped screaming.

    “Sorry, she likes to squeal when she first wakes up.”

    Sam smiled at the bundle of blankets. “She, huh?”

    Kat grinned at him. “Sam, meet my daughter, Dawn. Would you like to hold her?” He nodded, and she carefully handed over the tiny infant. “Dawn, meet Uncle Sam.”

    Sam smiled down at the infant before uncovering more of her face. His eyes went wide as her words finally sunk in, and he looked at Kat. She smiled at him and nodded, and he looked down at the baby, lifting the blankets from her and pulling her hat to see Dawn’s light brown hair. Sam placed his hand on the baby’s chest and smiled, Dawn reaching up and grabbing his thumb and pinkie.

    “So she’s…?”

    Kat lowered her voice, “She’s Dean’s. The ultrasound you guys found was old. I was actually about thirteen to fourteen weeks when that happened.”

    Sam looked at Dawn and grinned, “Are you going to tell him?”

    “No. Not yet. You saw how he reacted to seeing me. How do you think he’d react to finding out…”

    Sam nodded, looking over his shoulder to where Liz was grinning at him. He laughed when she winked at him, and Dean looked over, seeing the small bundle in his arms. Dean stood and started coming over.

    Kat groaned and slid Dawn’s hat back on her. “Or, ya know, let’s stick with God hates me.”

    Sam chuckled, and Kat helped him wrap the tiny infant back up. “She’s beautiful, Kat. The two of you made a cute baby.”

    She laughed as Dean stepped up behind Sam. “Well, I think she’s pretty perfect, but I’m biased.”

    Dean leaned over his brother’s shoulder, “He’s right. She’s pretty.” He laid his hand on Dawn’s stomach and laughed when she grinned at him, “Hey, princess. What’s your name?”

    Kat smiled down at her daughter. “Dawn Samantha Gunner.”

    Dean gave her a confused look, “Don, like your dad?”

    “Kinda. She was born at daybreak, so I named her D-A-W-N for that and Dad. Samantha is close to Liz’s middle name, Samara.” She shrugged, “And for Sam, here.”

    Sam grinned. “Really?”

    “Yeah. You got me through a lot of shit during my pregnancy. I told you I’d name my firstborn after you. Voila! Bitch doesn’t lie.”

    Liz laughed from behind her and Kat jumped. “Bitch doesn’t lie, but she’ll omit plenty.”

    “Hey, Liz. How about I air out your dirty laundry?” Kat grumbled.

    “Well, look at that." Liz looked at her bare wrist. "Time to go get my kids from school.”

    Kat laughed at Liz’s retreating back, “Woman, it’s eight o’clock at night on a Wednesday!” She laughed harder when Liz flipped her off, and she turned back to Dean and Sam. “Want to hold her Dean?”

    “Holding babies is a sober activity. I’m not nearly sober enough for that. Though Liz upon me into a cup of coffee instead of beer.”

    She laughed, “Sounds like Liz. So what’s the case you guys are working on?”

    Kat, Dean, and Sam talked through the case while Dawn gurgled and cooed from Sam’s arms. When the infant started to squawk, Kat apologized and took her. She laid the infant on her shoulder and patted her back, trying to calm the small one.

    She sighed as Dawn started yelling over Sam and Dean, “I’m sorry. She must be hungry.”

    Sam smiled, “Need one of us to go grab her bottle or something?”

    She shook her head, unwrapping Dawn and throwing the blanket over her shoulder. “If you’re okay with it, I’ll breastfeed her.”

    Sam shrugged, and Dean blinked for a few seconds before blushing and looking away. Kat covered her chest while she set Dawn to her breast. She winced when Dawn latched wrong, grumbling about her being a pain like her dad. Sam snorted, and Dean looked at her confused. She adjusted the latch and leaned back in her chair.

    She sighed, “Okay, So you have six bodies, four with bites like a vampire and two that look like a ghoul?”

    “Yeah, that’s the condensed version. It’s weird.”

    “It is. It’s unlikely that vamps and ghouls would hit the same town at the same time and they definitely wouldn’t work together. Vampires won’t take a chunk out of someone though. I’d lean towards ghoul. Either that or a vampire with a fucked up stomach.”

    Dean stared at her, “How can you talk about this kind of stuff with your kid attached to you?”

    “I talked about this stuff with her inside of me. Besides, I wouldn’t get anything done if I waited for Dawn to sleep before I did anything. The kid never sleeps.”

    Sam hissed in sympathy, “That’s rough.”

    “She sleeps for a couple of hours, and she’s good for the day.”

    Dean laughed, “Kid sounds like me.”

    Kat snorted, and Sam laughed, Kat replying, “It’s exactly like you were. Sleeps for a couple of hours and then wants boobs in her face.”

    “Too bad you weren't mine, kid. We’d have gotten along great.”

    Sam groaned, and Kat sighed, “You two would not get along. You would be fighting for the same breasts.”

    Dean chuckled, “I could take her.”

    “I could kick you in the shins, but I know better than to take on someone that might harm me later.”

    “I wouldn’t hurt you, but I get what you're saying.”

    Sam groaned, “Oh! THAT you get.”

    Kat giggled at Dean’s confused look, “Where are you guys staying tonight?”

    Sam shrugged, “Kind of figured we’d find a motel.”

    “Come stay with me. All the rooms upstairs are still free, and I could use the company.”

    Sam looked at Dean, who he nodded, “Sounds good.”


	47. Realize

   Kat woke up the next morning to Dawn’s squealing. She crawled out of bed and grabbed her infant daughter, tucking her next to her in the bed and letting her breastfeed while Kat slept for a little longer. She woke up to her squeaks and rolled them over, allowing Dawn to try the other side. Kat made sure there was a pillow between Dawn and the edge before falling back to sleep again.

     When Kat woke up again, she could hear Dawn cooing. She looked next to her, but her daughter wasn’t there. Her sleep-fogged brain had her jumping up and looking around her bed before checking the bassinet. She looked everywhere before she heard a deep voice talking back to the baby.

     Kat peeked out into her den and smiled. Dean was sitting in Kat’s rocking chair with Dawn in the crook of his arm. Dawn was smiling and cooing as Dean nodded along, occasionally replying with Yeah’s, uh Huh’s, and even a “You don’t say!” Kat stood there watching the unknowing father with his daughter before she realized the infant’s light brown hair was shining brightly in the morning sun. She leaned back into her room, closing her eyes, and sighing.

    Kat opened her eyes and stepped into the den, hoping to play it off, “Good morning, little girl! Did you wake Dean up?”

    “No, I was awake already. I came down to do some laundry and heard her squawking to you. Figured I’d let you get some sleep and spend some time with my kid.”

    Kat’s heart jumped into her throat, and she looked into Dean’s eyes as he turned to her. “Dean, I’m sorry. I…”

    He shook his head, his eyes sad, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

    She hugged herself, “B-Because you said, you never wanted kids, that you would rather she be Sam’s. I thought about telling Sam she was yours, but I knew he would want to tell you and I didn’t want to ruin what you wanted for your life by throwing a kid in your lap and saying, ‘Hey! She’s yours!’”

    Dean looked at their daughter, his voice hoarse, “Kat, I lied.”

    She took a step forward, “What? Why?”

    His voice was stronger when he repeated, “I lied, Katie.” He looked at her, blinking hard, “I wanted kids. Hell, I want kids. I just never thought I would. Being a hunter, kids aren’t a great idea. Look what happened to Ben and Lisa!” He smiled at Dawn and ran his hand through her soft hair, “I couldn’t stomach the idea that the baby you were carrying might not be mine. If it were Sam’s, I’d have been happy for you both, but." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I wouldn’t have handled it well. Then you broke up with me before I could make a decision either way. I thought you knew it was Sam’s or something and thought it would be weird for me to be stepdad and uncle.”

    Kat giggled, “Kinda like ‘I’m my own Grandpa?’”

    He smiled at her, “Yeah, imagine my surprise when I come into your room to grab this beauty, and I see a wild mop of my hair on her head. Then the conversation with you, Sam, and Liz came back to me, and I pieced it together finally.”

   She rubbed her hands over her arms, “I’m shocked you aren’t freaking out about it all.”

   “I did for the first ten minutes, but she was crying by that point, and you were starting to wake up, so I figured I’d take some time with her and try to figure out what the hell I thought about it other than shock.”

    Kat frowned. “I’m sorry, Dean.”

    “How long has Sam known?”

    "Last night. I dropped a hint in passing about him being her uncle.”

    “How long have you known?”

    “Since that first doctor’s appointment after I got home. He told me I was closer to thirteen to fourteen weeks, and later he found documentation with Planned Parenthood about the pregnancy. It gave us dates that we were able to piece together.”

    He smiled at Dawn, “So that would have been…?”

    “Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.”

    He smirked at Kat, “Really?”

    “I seem to remember your brother complaining about the noise levels a couple of times those days. About three or four, if I remember correctly.”

    He chuckled, “Didn’t you give him earplugs for Christmas?”

    “Sure did. With a note saying, ‘Now Stop Bitching And Be Happy For Us.’”

    Dean’s smile turned sad, and he looked at Dawn as she yawned, “Yeah, I remember now.”

    Kat walked over and sat on the end table next to him and Dawn, “Dean, you can come see her whenever you want. I won’t keep her from you if you want to be a part of her life. I should have told you sooner so you could have been there from the beginning. That’s my fault, and I’m sorry.”

    He rocked with their daughter, not answering. She sighed and got up, going to the bathroom before standing in front of the mirror. She stared at her reflection as she tried to keep the tears down. She groaned, _Stupid hormones have me continually crying already, and now Dean is back_. She let out a shaky sigh as tears slid from her eyes, leaning against the counter and hanging her head as the tears flowed down her cheeks.

    A quiet knock at the door made her squeak before she wiped her eyes with a washcloth, her voice hitching as she called, “Yeah?”

    Dean’s quiet voiced came from behind the door, “Can I come in?”

    Kat looked around, trying to find a way to cover up the tears before resigning herself to the truth. “You can.”

    The door opened slowly, and he walked in, eyes on the floor. “Dawn is asleep in her crib thing.” He looked up and saw her red eyes and sighed, “What’s wrong, Katie?”

    She shook her head and turned around, busying herself by turning on the shower. “Nothing, Dean. Just…” Her breath hitched, and she wiped at her eyes again. “Just getting into the shower.”

    He sighed, and she heard him pad over to stand behind her. “Katie, talk to me?”

    She groaned, “Dean, I don’t deserve to be called Katie anymore. I broke up with you and kept your child a secret from you. I wouldn’t blame you if you called me a bitch constantly.”

    Dean placed a hand on her shoulder, “Yeah, you did those things, but I told you that I’d thought about leaving before you broke up with me. I told you before that I didn’t want kids. You went off of what I told you.”

    Kat was fighting the urge to turn around and hug him. “So do you want to be able to visit her anytime?”

    “I was wondering when you’d ask that." He sighed, his hand falling from her shoulder to smack against his thighs. "I would love to, but I also don’t want to put you two in danger. Hell, I don’t want to leave you two at all.”

    “You’re a hunter; eventually you’ll need to leave.”

    He whispered, “I could stay, quit?”

    “I’d love for you to stay, but we both know you would be miserable sitting here all the time and wouldn’t it be weird?”

    Dean took a step back. “Weird?”

    “Dean, we broke up." Kat watched the steam rise from the shower. "At some point, you’ll move on and find some other woman to keep you company. You want to be here now, but,” Kat sighed and turned around to look at him. “But someday, you’ll find someone better for you, and I’ll just be the woman who gave you Dawn.”

    He stepped towards her, backing her up until her back hit the warm glass of the shower, his green eyes boring into hers, “You don’t get it, do you?” Kat turned her face away, but he pulled her chin back to him. “Katie, I won’t have another woman. I tried, once, and couldn’t. I kept thinking about you and I couldn’t.” His lips brushed against hers as he pulled her close, “I’ve been drinking so goddamn much because I couldn’t get you out of my head and the only peace I got was when I passed out.”

    She whimpered and tried to push him away, “But you wanted to forget me.”

    He let her go and backed away, his hand running through his hair as he spun away from her, “You broke up with me. You called me and told me to forget about you, to move on, and find someone I could have a future with.” He turned back and shrugged, “I tried to do what you asked of me. I didn’t want to. I never want to, especially now that we have Dawn.”

    “I don’t want you to be with me because I gave birth to Dawn. That would be a disaster. If you want to live here, we can figure out a way, but it’s not going to be easy on either of us.”

    Dean growled, “I don’t want just to live here. I…”

    Dawn’s squeal from the other room stopped Dean. Kat pushed past him and walked into her room, scooping the small infant from her bassinet. She laid her on her chest, cooing and bouncing her daughter. She heard the shower turn off and Dean came out, his chest wet. Kat closed her eyes and concentrated on the baby.

    “Katie, I want to talk to you.”

    “Not right now,” she whispered, and he grumbled, Kat looking up to stare into his bottle green eyes, “Dean, let me take care of my daughter, then we can talk.”

    “She’s OUR daughter, Katie.”

    She glared at him. “I know. I have to get used to saying that. For the past month, she has been mine. Several months when you think of the pregnancy.”

    “You act like I chose not to be there,” Dean whispered, his voice hard with anger.

    “But would you have wanted to be here? Would you have been glad to give up so much for one person?”

    “Two. Two people,” he roared.

    She sighed as Dawn whimpered again, “Dean, please keep it down.”

    He took a deep breath, smoothing a hand over his hair. “Give her to me, please.” She looked at her daughter, worried. “Katie, it’s okay. I just want to help.”

    She handed Dawn to him, sighing as the infant instantly settled. Dean rocked their daughter, hushing her. Kat sat on the edge of her bed and watched the man cuddle his child. Kat closed her eyes and tried to imagine him living with them, but she stopped when her mind brought up the image of Dean coming home with another woman and taking her to bed. Her chest was tight when she opened her eyes, looking at her wood floor. Her breath felt like jagged glass in her lungs and throat at the idea of him with someone else.

    Kat looked up at Dean, trying to calm her breathing. Dean was rocking Dawn, his eyes locked on Kat. She gave him a sad smile, and he returned it, coming over and sitting next to her. She reached over and fixed the blanket wrapped around Dawn, laying her hand on the baby’s belly and smiling when she saw her sleeping peacefully.

    “She loves cuddling with her daddy, doesn't she?” She blinked when she said it out loud, cursing quietly.

    Dean chuckled, “Wow. I didn’t think about that. I’m a daddy?”

    She giggled, “Well, kinda. You're her biological father, as far as I know. It’s up to you if you want to be her daddy.”

    He laid his hand on top of Kat’s. “Yeah, I do. I just don’t know how I can do it. I don’t think I could quit hunting, but I don’t want to give up time with Dawn. I don’t want to fuck her up either.”

    "I worry about the same thing. I mean, I’m not hunting right now, but I’d still like to someday. I miss it. I miss helping people, but it’s not an option for me right now. Dawn needs a parent that isn’t off chasing monsters for now. But I think you should do whatever makes you happy. Dawn will grow up knowing that her daddy helps people and that’s why he has to leave sometimes.”

    He sighed and kissed the side of Kat’s head, her stomach flipping as he left his lips against her temple. “Thank you, Katie.”

    “For what?”

    He kissed her temple again, lips grazing her skin as he mumbled, “For Dawn. For understanding my need to hunt. For loving me even when I was an ass.” His forehead rested against her, “I just wish we could have stayed together, that you could have kept loving me.”

    Katherine sighed, “I could say the same to you, Dean. You helped make our daughter. You stood by me while I hunted, loved me when I was a bitch.” She pulled her hand from under his and stood, walking towards the den, “Loving you was never a problem, Dean. It was never an option not to love you.”

    She walked into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning against it. Kat covered her mouth, trying to smother her sob as she cried again. She slid down the door and hugged her knees, hiding her face in them. Her heart throbbed with pain as she thought about the loss of Dean again.

    She could hear him moving in the other room, and she stood, going to the shower and turning it on before undressing and stepping in. 

    She remembered the day she had decided to break up with Dean. She had cried for hours, lamenting the fact that they couldn’t make it work. She thought he hadn’t wanted to be a dad, so she had cried herself to sleep the night before she called him. She didn’t know how she had had the strength to sit through that call, but each flutter of Dawn moving inside her had strengthened her resolve. When she had hung up, Liz had come over to hold her while she cried once more.

    Now, Kat stood under the water, feeling that agony again and letting it wash the tears away. She cleaned her hair and scrubbed her skin, grabbing her razor and starting to shave her legs. She heard someone knock and called out to them.

    The door cracked open, and Dean’s voice came through, “Do you mind if I come in? I won’t look.”

    She smiled and continued shaving. “You can come in. It’s not like you’ve never seen me naked.”

    She saw Dean walk in out of the corner of her eye. He kept his head down and sat with his back against the far wall.

    “Where’s Dawn?”

    “I took her up to Sam. He’s still in bed, but he said he’d keep an eye on her.”

    Kat finished shaving one of her legs and moved on to the other, “When do you have to go finish that case?”

    “We leave in a couple of hours."  He pulled his knees up, resting his arms on them as he continued, "Sam wants some more sleep, said he was up pretty late.”

    Kat nodded before remembering that he wasn’t looking at her, “Yeah. We sat up for a while and talked.”

    “About what?”

    She sighed, “About the past and things we are still struggling with now.”

    “Like what?”

    Kat finished shaving her calf and closed her eyes. “How I am still struggling with what the demon made me do. How he can’t forgive himself for what he did when he didn’t know I was possessed. That I can’t stop myself from reliving that day in my mind and how that makes me feel like a horrible person.” She opened her eyes and looked at Dean. “That I can’t give my best friend a hug without remembering what that bitch made us do.”

    He shifted, uncomfortably. “I didn’t know you guys were still having problems. Sam won’t talk to me about it no matter how much I push.”

    She gave a dry laugh. “You didn’t have to live through it, Dean. You don’t have the memories of your body doing things that you are screaming at it not to do. You aren’t the guy that fucked his brother’s girlfriend because he thought they were broken up.”

    “I’m sorry, Katie. I’m not trying to make you talk about it if you don’t want.”

    She sighed and put new shaving cream on her thigh, “It’s fine, Dean. It just sucks. Liz thinks it’s because... “ Kat paused and shook her head, “Nevermind. That’s probably not something you want to know.”

    Dean watched her rubbing the cream on her thigh before dropping his head again, blushing. “You can tell me, Katie.”

    She started shaving her inner thigh, “If you are sure.” He nodded his head. “Liz thinks it’s because the last guy I can remember being with," she paused. "Look, I don’t remember if there was anyone else, but the only one that I remember her making me do things with was Sam.”

    Dean stared at her, watching the razor trail up her thigh. “You don’t remember anyone else?”

    “No. I think that bitch wanted to fuck with my mind as much as possible. I don't even know if there WERE others. The doctor I see says I am healthy even though she did whatever she did, but I don’t feel healthy in my mind.” She finished shaving her thigh and stepped into the water, noticing Dean watching her. She turned to face him, covering her breasts and groin with her arms, “It’s hard to explain. The only thing I can give you is an example.”

    He looked at his arms. “Like what?”

    Kat stared at her toes as the water swirled around them, “When I ruffled his hair last night?” She looked up to see Dean nod, “My mind replayed the last time I touched his hair. It-He was on top of me, and the demon was still in control. I remembered silently screaming at her to stop.” He flinched. “It’s worse than that, but I don’t want to tell you the rest. It won’t help anything.”

    His eyes caught hers, “If it would help you, then I want to know.”

    She sighed, thinking it over. “I think it would do more damage than good. Liz has been trying to help me. She talks to me about all of it, and it’s helped a lot, but talking to you about the day a demon made me fuck your brother?” He flinched again. “Exactly. Not going to help anything. I don’t want you to know the shit she made me do. I love Sam like a brother and a best friend. Knowing what that bitch made me do? I hurt him without meaning to do it.”

    Dean sighed, “You didn’t hurt him. The demon did.”

    “It was my body, my face, and my voice.”

    “But not your choice. Sam knows that, probably why he's so broken up about it. I know it wasn't your choice, too.”

    “That doesn’t help me. I still feel responsible.”

    Dean stood and stretched, Kat watching the muscles of his bare chest move. She shivered and stepped under the water, hoping he would just think it was because she was cold. She brushed her wet hair back, grabbing her conditioner and working it through the ends. Kat rinsed out her hair, hearing Dean clear his throat.

    She looked over at him, noticing he was sitting on the counter now, “Floor hurting your ass?”

    He chuckled, “Yeah.” He cleared his throat again and pulled the leg closest to the shower up, resting his arms on the knee. “I have a question.” She hummed, and he continued, “After you came home, why didn’t you find a boyfriend or something?”

    “Yeah, I don’t think, ‘Hey Mister! I’m pregnant with my ex’s baby and just got an exorcism! Wanna go on a date or something?’ is something guys want to hear.”

    Dean smirked. “Okay, you have a point there, but if you left the exorcism out, some guys would've taken you up on your offer.”

    She shrugged, arms covering her again as she stared into his green eyes. “Dean, I wasn’t interested in other guys. I was busy trying to deal with being pregnant because a demon decided it would be fun.”

    “What about now?”

     Kat huffed out a laugh. “You don’t get it, do you?” She sighed and leaned against the shower wall. “I’m not over you. I don’t know if I ever will be or if I even want to be.” His eyes went wide, and her toes played with the water in the bottom of the shower. “I don’t even know if it’s possible for me to stop loving you.” Kat bit her lip when she realized what she had said, and she closed her eyes.


	48. Together

   It was quiet for a moment, then Kat heard the shower door open, and she opened her eyes to see Dean in the shower with her. He had left his sleep pants on, and the water was making them cling to his skin.

   His fingers touched her cheek, and she closed her eyes, nuzzling into his hand. "You still love me, Katie?"

   She sighed and kissed his palm. "I'm still in love with you, Dean."

   He groaned and pulled her bare chest to his, arms wrapping around her waist as he nuzzled her neck. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her forehead on his neck. He kissed her cheek, his fingers tracing the curve of her spine.

   She shivered at his gentle touch. "I'm sorry for everything, Dean."

   His hand came around to cup her cheek as he leaned back to look in her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong, Katie. Stop apologizing."

   "I did a lot of things wrong. You should have been there when Dawn was born. You should have been there for the ultrasounds and the tests. For her first day home."

   His thumb traced her bottom lip. "You did what you thought I’d have wanted. Stop apologizing." She went to talk, but he stopped her. "Katie, please. Stop blaming yourself. I don't blame you."

   She sighed and closed her eyes. Dean's thumb retraced her bottom lip, and she kissed the pad, her hand covering his on her cheek. He leaned in, kissing her forehead, his mouth brushing against her skin as he moved down and kissed her temple. She tilted her head up, brushing her lips against his. He sighed and pressed their mouths together, moving his with hers in a soft, slow kiss. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip, and she parted hers, letting his tongue in to twist with hers slowly.

   His hand slid down to her neck, thumb tracing her jaw. She pressed closer to him, her hand sliding into his wet hair. She could feel his arousal press against her as his other hand pressed against her lower back. He groaned and broke the kiss, his face nuzzling into her neck. His lips grazed along the column of her neck.

   She sighed as his lips brushed the sensitive skin over her pulse. "Katie, we need to talk about this first."

   "It would be easier if you weren't doing that with your lips and if I weren't naked."

   Dean groaned, his hand sliding from her cheek and grazing his fingers down the side of her breast and ribs, stopping at her anti-possession tattoo. His fingers traced the scars over it, and he pulled back, looking down at the pink scars that ran through it.

   "Son of a bitch." Kat covered the tattoo with one hand while the other covered her breasts, blushing. He pulled her hand away from the tattoo and knelt down, kissing each scar softly before whispering, "How?"

   Kat closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. "It got damaged when I was finishing that hunt with James in Mississippi before our fight. The demon used that to get in. If it started to heal, she would make me cut it again so that she could keep riding me. I got it touched up a week after Dawn was born," She took a deep breath. "But the scars are still pretty bad."

   He ran his hands over her sides, and she fidgeted. Her body had changed since having Dawn. Her once flat stomach was still slightly pouched. He stood up and pulled her against him again, his arms holding her tight as he kissed her head.

   She sighed and kissed his collarbone. "Aren't we supposed to be talking?"

   He chuckled, "Yeah, but I'm enjoying being able to hold you."

   They both groaned when they heard someone knock on the door, Dean calling out, "Yeah?"

   Sam cracked the door, and they could hear Dawn crying, "Dawn wants her mom."

   Kat laughed and kissed Dean's cheek. "She's probably hungry. I'm coming!"

   Sam shut the door, and she pulled away from Dean, opening the shower door. She grabbed a towel and dried off before grabbing her clean red cheekies and sliding them on.

   Dean groaned as she bent over to grab her dirty laundry and throw it in the laundry bin. "Damn."

   She looked behind her, still bent over the laundry bin and smiled at him. "Like what you see, honey?"

   "Fuck, yes," he growled.

   She giggled and straightened up, grabbing her white robe, "Sorry, your daughter is hungry."

   He grumbled and adjusted himself, his wet pajama pants pressing against his erection. Kat slid on the robe, her eyes pinned to his hands as they slid off the pants. Kat licked her lips as his erection bounced free.

   He chuckled, "Like what you see?"

   She grinned at him, "Honey, I always like what I see when I look at you."

   He grinned, and she tied the belt of her robe, as he slid his hand over his shaft, "I'm going to stay here for a bit, Katie."

  She nodded, biting her lip. "Wish I could too, but I need to take care of Dawn before Sam loses hearing from her screaming."


	49. Dawn

    Kat sat against the headboard of her bed lost in thought; Dawn still latched as she heard the shower turn off. Sam had gone back to bed once she had taken the baby from him. Kat adjusted her hold on Dawn, thinking. She heard the door to the bathroom open and looked up to see Dean walking out with a towel around his waist.

     She gave a small smile, "What do you think about getting a paternity test? Just in case?"

     Dean blinked, murmuring, "I don't care either way."

    Kat groaned, flipping her phone over again and again on the bed, "I need a decision. Bobby said he has a guy that could do it for us, so no need to deal with government bullshit."

    He stared at her, one hand running through his hair while the other held the towel at his waist, "I guess we should. I don't care, but I can tell you do."

    She looked down at Dawn and brushed her hand through her daughter’s hair while saying, "I do. I wish I didn't, but I can't help but worry that I'm wrong and she isn't yours."

    Dean came over and sat on the bed next to her, "Then we should put your mind at ease."

    She picked up her phone, messaging Bobby. "It's just a cheek swab. We can go to Bobby's and have it done. The guy said he could meet us there and the results would be back in about eight weeks." Kat sighed, "She'll be almost four months by then."

    He frowned, "You never told me. When was she born?"

    "She was a preemie. I delivered at thirty-five weeks on August seventeenth. She was due September fourteenth." She brushed her finger down Dawn's nose, "Some little girl was impatient to see the world."

    "Is she okay after being born so soon?"

    "She was hooked up to oxygen for five days. I stayed at the hospital, only leaving when they made me. Liz or Kelly came up to take my place when I had to leave. That was when it was the hardest for me not to tell you. I thought you would have wanted to be there, but I didn't know if it would be right or if I was right. I mean, what if she isn't yours? What if the doctor was wrong or if the demon had me screwing some other guy around that time? I couldn't take that step knowing that I could be wrong."

     Dean licked his lips, mumbling, "I'm sorry I wasn't there, but I think you were right. I haven't been in the best place lately, and I was probably piss drunk that day."

    "Well, you know now, I guess. Dawn was pretty healthy when she was born, just kept forgetting she needed to breathe now that she was out. She was five pounds and eight ounces at birth and twenty-two inches long. Her pediatrician was surprised by how tall she was. I told her she should see her dad or her Uncle Sam."

    Dean laughed, "Yeah, Sam tends to tip the scales, freaking gigantor."

    Kat giggled, "Don't say that. Your daughter is in the top percentile for her height. She might develop a complex if you're always teasing Sam about it."

    "I didn't think about that." He frowned,

    Dawn yawned, breaking her latch and nuzzling against Katherine. Kat pulled her away and covered herself with her robe before laying Dawn on her thighs. Dean ran his hand over Dawn's nose, grinning.

    "So she has my hair, Sam's height, and your eyes. Anything else?"

    She smiled, "Her eyes might still change. Her doc said it could be up to a year before we'll know what her eye color will be, maybe longer. But I think she has my dad's nose. Well, either his or yours. Mine is too long, like my mother's"

    "I like your nose." He laughed, "Poor Katie. Our daughter takes after my family more than yours!"

    She nudged him in the ribs, making him laugh harder, "Seriously, though. I'd be glad if she did. My family is fucked up in the head."

    He grinned, "And mine isn't?" He pointed to himself, "Probably an alcoholic and Sam says I'm narcissistic." He pointed to the ceiling, "Sam probably has PTSD after the whole Lucifer thing and his girlfriend being killed." He dropped his hand to his lap, "Don't get me started on my father."

    "Touche, sir. Poor kid's gonna have a lot of family history to deal with later."

    Her phone went off, and she checked it. "Bobby said the guy could be there in a couple of days. So you guys go finish that case, come back here, and I'll pack stuff for Dawn and I. We can get there early and give Bobby some time with the baby."

    Dean patted Dawn on the belly and kissed Kat's cheek, "That old man is gonna be in baby heaven."


	50. Paternity

   The test results had come back, but Kat hadn't looked at them yet. Dean and Sam had left on a case two weeks ago, and she didn't want to open them until they were back. The wait was driving her nuts. The results had taken longer than the guy had thought they would. Bobby had convinced Kat to get Sam tested too, just in case. She was so nervous about the results.

   Dawn squawked from her swing when Kat walked by the doorway to the living room. "Yes, Dawn. I hear you. Mommy is making lunch." 

   She could hear Dawn blowing raspberries and growling. She grabbed the highchair and pulled it to the nook before taking Dawn from her swing and putting her in the chair. She strapped her in, and Dawn started rocking back and forth, blowing more raspberries. Kat laughed and grabbed their lunches, a sandwich for Kat and a jar of pea baby food for Dawn. 

   "Now, Dawn. No spitting the peas out at Mommy. I don't have any more clean shirts." 

   Dawn giggled and bashed her fists on the highchair. Kat sat next to her daughter, opening the jar and dipping the baby spoon in before bringing it to Dawn's lips. The baby took the food and swallowed. 

   "Good girl! I'm glad we have an understanding!" Kat smiled.

   Dawn ate a couple more bites, Kat sneaking bites of her sandwich in between. Dawn was almost done with the jar when she blew a raspberry, spitting mashed peas all over Kat. Kat jumped out of her chair and cursed, running over to the sink to clean herself off. She pulled the shirt off, glad she had a clean tank top underneath. 

   Kat was wiping the peas from her face when she heard a key in the lock. She ran to the walkway between the kitchen and the living room, hand on the gun hanging on the wall, to see Dean walk in. Kat dropped her hand to her hip and smiled. Dawn squealed when she saw her dad, kicking her legs and laughing. 

   "Hey, Princess. I see Mommy tried peas again." 

   Kat cleared her throat, "We almost got through the whole jar before she just had to blow another raspberry." She smirked at Dean, "Thanks for teaching her that, by the way." 

   "Hey! That's what I'm here for, babe." He bent down and took the bib off of Dawn, wiping her face before picking her up. "Tell her, Princess. Say, ‘Daddy is supposed to teach me how to be silly.'" 

   Kat sighed and walked back to the sink, "You're lucky I still love you or I'd be kicking you in the shins." 

   Dean laughed and came over to kiss her on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "You look beautiful today, Katherine Sage Gunner. I particularly like that white tank top, especially with the black bra underneath." 

   She shivered as his hot breath tickled her cold skin. "You should see the matching lace panties, Honey." 

   He groaned and walked into the living room, mumbling to Dawn, "Mommy is trying to give your dad a heart attack." 

   "Something came in the mail for us." She walked over to the breakfast nook and picked up the paternity results. "I, um, thought I should wait for you to open them." 

   Dean looked at the envelope, sitting Dawn down in her playpen. "Sam's grabbing his bags from the car, should we wait for him?" 

   Kat fidgeted before setting the letter back on the countertop, "His results are in here too." 

   He came over and pulled her into a hug, her arms wrapping around his waist, "It's going to be okay, Katie. Well, once you put on my shirt, it'll be okay." 

   Kat laughed, pushing him back and slowly running her hands up from his hips and over his stomach. He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against hers and he hissed as she scratched her nails over his abs. She brushed her lips across his as she slid her hands over his chest and up onto his shoulders, slowly pushing the work shirt off of them and down his arms. He tried to kiss her, and she danced away, pulling his work shirt over her shoulders. 

   He growled, glaring at her, "That was a dirty trick!" 

   She pulled the shirt tight around her, winking at him. "Oh, it was dirty, but it wasn't a trick. Just an idea of how much I missed you." 

   He grumbled and grabbed her as she tried to walk past, picking her up before he sat on the sectional with her in his lap, facing away from him. "I missed you too, Katie." He nuzzled her neck, making her giggle, "And I can't wait until I can get you alone." He pulled her back against his chest, his hand sliding to her stomach as he kissed her neck. She bit her lip when she felt his arousal press against her. "I think I've earned it for the months of teasing you've given me." 

   "I won't argue with that." She shifted in his lap, causing him to hiss against her neck. "But for now, your daughter is across the room from us." 

   His head snapped up, and he groaned, "Damn it!" He picked her up and set her on the seat next to him, adjusting himself. "You win this round." 

   She heard a car door shut, and she laughed, turning sideways to lean against the arm of the couch before draping her legs across his lap, "I think I've won every round, lately." 

   Sam came in as Dean was grumbling, "Oh, I've won a couple." 

   Sam looked between Kat and Dean, "Do I want to know what you two are talking about?" 

  "Nope." 

   He nodded and walked over to the playpen, "Hey, Dawn!" Dawn squealed loudly and reached up to Sam, who picked her up. "How's my favorite niece?" 

   "She better be your only niece,"  Kat grumbled.

   "No other nieces and no nephews," He laughed.

   "Good, let's keep it that way." 

   Sam smirked at her, "I don't know. You and Dean made one cute baby. You should try for another." 

   Kat laughed as Dean's eyes went wide. "Dude! Our daughter's not even a year old yet." 

   She glanced slyly at Dean. "So, you're saying you wouldn't mind another?" 

   He looked at her and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, I don't hate the idea, but I think we should discuss that later when my brother isn't staring at us." 

   "Later, it is." She turned to Sam. "Um, the test results have come. I waited to open them until you guys were back." 

   He looked down at Dawn and nodded. "Well, let's open them, but I'm pretty sure we know whose she is." 

   Kat got up and grabbed the envelope before sitting back down on the couch. Dean grabbed her legs and pulled them back over his, his hand rubbing her calf. Sam sat on the seat next to Dean, making faces at Dawn while she giggled. 

   Kat turned the letter over and broke the seal. She took a deep breath and pulled out the papers inside. She looked at Dean, and he smiled at her before Kat opened the letters and read. She flipped through the pages, her face blank. 

   Dean fidgeted, "You're making me nervous here, Katie. What's it say?" 

   She handed him the papers and covered her face with her hands as he read, "I hope this letter finds you well. I tested the three samples, and I can tell you that they are 99.9% positive that you three are idgits." He groaned and continued, "Dean is Dawn's father, and Kat needs to stop worrying." He put the letters down and laughed, "Freaking, Bobby. Of course, he would do something like this." 

   Kat sniffled, and Dean rubbed her thigh, "You okay, Katie?" 

   She looked up at him and nodded, "Give Sam his letter. He needs to read it." 

  Sam shook his head, and Kat sighed, getting up and putting Dawn in Dean's lap before taking the letter. "Dean, why don't you go spend some time with your daughter?" 

   Dean looked at his brother and Kat before getting up and taking Dawn downstairs. Kat waited until she heard the door close before she sat next to Sam. She leaned against him and cleared her throat. 

   "Sam. Look, Son. I know you’ve always wanted a family of your own. I'm sorry that you haven't gotten it, but you’ll get the chance, boy. Dean is Dawn's father, and I know you knew that, but I think you still hoped. The good news is you get to be her uncle. Doesn't sound like much, but while Dean has to deal with the crazy daughter and the tantrums, you get to have the sweet niece who can't wait to see her Uncle Sam. She’ll listen to you, even when she isn't listening to her parents, and Dawn will always love you for being there for her when she is too scared to call her dad. Bobby" 

   Sam swiped his hand over his eyes and smiled sadly. "He's right. I did hope she was mine a little, but I was also scared she would be. I'm glad she's his. It means he gets the kid he always secretly wanted, and you two can put all of this behind you." 

   "Uncle Bobby's right, though." Kat hugged his shoulders, whispering, "I never listened to my mother and stepdad, but I never failed to listen to Uncle Bobby or my Uncle Jim. Even if they were saying the same thing as my parents, it was more understandable when Uncle Bobby or Uncle Jim said it." 

   "Yeah, I guess you two are right. Besides, Dawn already likes me more." 

   She laughed, pushing his shoulder. "I think she does. You read to her when she can't sleep. Dean and I get frustrated and turn on music. She prefers your methods." 

   "I'm glad you had him leave. I don't think he'd understand." He hugged her and took the letter.

   "He'd understand. I didn't think you wanted to feel embarrassed because we both know Dean's great at that!" 

   Sam got up and grabbed his bag, making his way to his room, "Yeah, he is. You should’ve seen him on the last case. Some woman was hitting on him, he pulled out his phone and showed her a picture of you and Dawn. He told her, ‘This is my daughter and my woman. Aren't they beautiful?' I had to try so hard not to laugh at the look on her face." 

   "Well, it's good to know he's proud of having us." 

   He stopped in his doorway, looking over at her, "Oh, he is. Look at the background of his phone. It's a picture of all of us."


	51. Safe

   Kat grabbed Dean's bag and went downstairs, shutting the door behind her. She could hear Dawn laughing and Dean blowing raspberries. She smiled as she sat on the bottom stair, listening to the two play. Dawn adored her dad, always smiling and laughing when he was around, and Dean was the same. Dean and Kat rarely fought anymore, not since they had started seeing each other again. 

   She sat on the steps, listening as Dean started singing to their daughter. She had to smother her giggles as he sang Simple Man to her. His voice had gotten better since she had started singing with him regularly and she loved listening to him more than she used to. Kat leaned her head against the wall of the stairwell, enjoying the sweet moment between the father and daughter. 

   Dean always sang to Dawn when he was trying to get her to sleep. Kat knew he wanted to talk to her about several things, but she wanted to enjoy the peace before talking about things she wasn't ready to discuss yet. She didn't want to think about more kids right then. She was still enjoying having Dean back and having their daughter. _You have to have sex before you can have more kids anyway_ , she thought. They hadn't done anything since they had called things back on. Dean hadn't wanted to yet because he wanted to be sure that neither would disappear again. 

   She didn't blame him. She didn't think they should either. They had fun teasing each other, and the simple touches they gave each other conveyed a lot more than she had thought something so small could. Waking up to him brushing the hair from her face or when he would come up behind her while she was rocking Dawn and he would hold her while swaying with them, that meant more to her than just sex could. 

   They hadn't even talked about love since the first day. They had chosen to show it rather than speak it, and Kat couldn't deny that she felt it more than she ever had. Dean gave their little family as much time as he could. Kat loved that Dawn, Dean, Sam, and she had become such a happy family. 

   She sighed as Dean started singing Crazy Love, standing and carrying his bag into the laundry room before sneaking into their bedroom. She came up behind Dean and wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing his shoulder and singing with him. Dawn cooed at her mother before closing her eyes, her fist bunching in Dean's shirt. Dean's free arm slid over Kat's, holding it to him as their daughter fell back to sleep. 

    Once they were sure Dawn was down, Kat let go and stepped around him, smiling. He grinned at her, still rocking their daughter. Kat leaned over slowly, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him down into a quick kiss. He smirked as she let go. 

   "I'll go clear out your bag and do some laundry." 

   He nodded, and she went into the laundry room again, shutting the door so the noise wouldn't startle Dawn awake. She pulled his dirty clothes out of his bag and threw it into the washer, throwing some shirts of hers in too. As she started the machine, she heard the laundry door open. 

   She turned to see Dean walk in, "Hey, honey. Dawn still asleep?" 

   He nodded, "I took her up to Sam. She's fast asleep next to her uncle, who is rereading a book." 

   Kat laughed, "She'll be so happy when she wakes up. Daddy sang her to sleep, and now she gets to wake up to her favorite uncle." 

   Dean grinned, "She's a princess. Kid gets spoiled rotten by us." 

   She grinned back and leaned against the washer. Dean walked over and leaned over her, his arms caging her in as he laid his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes and held onto the sides of his shirt, the fabric bunched in her fists. 

   He sighed before brushing his full lips against hers, "I missed you so much, Katie." 

   She pulled him closer until she could feel the warmth coming off of him, their bodies just barely touching, "I know." Her stomach was full of butterflies as her lips brushed his when they spoke. "I'm pretty sure I missed you just as much."

   He chuckled, one of his arms sliding under the workshirt to touch her back. "I hope so." 

   His hand pressed against her back, pulling her against him as he pressed his lips against hers. She let go of his shirt, bringing her hands up the sides of his neck, thumbs tracing his jaw. His lips moved against hers, and she sighed as she took in the feeling and her nose filled with his leather and gunpowder scent. 

   He pulled back and grinned, "Yeah, you missed me." 

   She groaned and smacked his arm, "Don't be a dick, Winchester." 

   He laughed, and his hand on her back pushed her against him harder, his hips grinding the bulge in his pants against her, "I have one. Wanna see it?" 

   She scowled at him, grumbling, "Are you a teenager?" 

   He bent down and whispered in her ear, his breath warm against the skin of her neck, "I may act like one sometimes, but I have more stamina than a teenager." 

   She shook her head, making her voice a husky purr, "You sure, honey? You might be a minute man now. It's been awhile." 

   He growled, his lips against the shell of her ear, "Try me. I'll prove it, Katie." She couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine, and he chuckled, his hand moving to grab her ass before sliding down her thigh and grasping it. He pulled it over his hip before pushing her against the washer, his hips grinding into her again. "What do you say, Katie? Should we place a bet on it?" 

   She whimpered and bit her lip, arms wrapping around his neck, and his hips moved against her again. She dropped her face to his neck, kissing and nipping at the skin. He groaned, freehand grabbing her other thigh and picking her up. She wrapped her legs around him, grinding herself against him. His hand pressed against her back again as the other tangled in her hair. His mouth came down to the junction of her shoulder and neck, kissing and sucking on the skin. 

   Kat gasped, "Dean, this may not be the best of ideas." 

   He nipped at her skin, "Why?" 

   She sighed, resolve starting to slip. "Because I think we should discuss the idea of more kids before we jump into bed together if you get what I mean." 

   He groaned, his forehead landing on her shoulder. "Does that mean you're not on birth control anymore?" 

   She shook her head, "I never got a new IUD placed, but I'm on the pill." His mouth found her neck, lips and tongue working the skin. She moaned before continuing, "But!" He growled against her skin. "But I also took antibiotics for the bronchitis I caught off of you and Sam. Which means the pill isn't working very well right now." 

   He leaned back, eyes wide, "That's a thing?" 

   She laughed, "Very much so. It'll take a month for it to be back in full effect. It's only been two weeks, almost three." 

   He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, "Son of a bitch!" He groaned and set her back on her feet, his hands sliding up to her hips. "I don't want to wait that long." 

   She giggled, hands moving to his neck, "Then it's condoms or the risk of another baby." 

   He kissed her softly before taking a step back and staring into her eyes, "Would you want another baby?" 

   "I don't know. I never thought I would have Dawn and now that I do, I've never thought about having another." 

   Dean nodded, "Yeah, I know what you mean. What do you think about it now?" 

   She slid her hands down his shoulders and arms, pulling his hands from her hips and intertwining their fingers together. "I don't know. I mean I don't hate the idea, but I'm just getting into the swing of things around here again, the idea of having to start that all over again is daunting." 

   He nodded, taking a step back and dropping one of her hands. Turning, he pulled her into the bedroom before turning back and picking her up. He laid her on the bed and climbed in next to her after kicking off his boots. He laid on his back and pulled her to him, letting her use his arm as a pillow. She sighed contentedly, hand rubbing over his heart. His hand came up and covered hers. 

   "I get what you're saying, Katie. But wouldn't it be different this time? I'd be there for you this time. Between Sam, Liz, Kelly, and I, we could probably make things easier." 

   She giggled, "Says the man who has never had someone kick him in the ribs from the inside." 

   He laughed, "No, never had that happen, though I've been kicked in the ribs plenty. Can't imagine it's fun." 

   Kat shook her head, "Not quite as painful, but definitely not a walk in the park. Especially when the tiny infant decides that they want to try to hide in your ribcage." 

   He groaned, "That's terrifying. You make it sound like she was a facehugger." 

   "Remind me to show you the video of my belly while pregnant with Dawn. You can see her moving under my skin." 

   He shivered, "Okay, yeah. Freaky." 

   "Ah, the miracle of pregnancy." She sighed, "It wasn't all bad though. It was kinda amazing that I was carrying a life inside of me." 

   Kat felt his chest rumble with laughter under her hand, "So, the question is would you do it again?"


	52. Doubt

   Katherine thought about Dean’s question before sitting up and straddling his hips, her hands sliding under his shirt and rubbing over his scarred skin as she smirked down at his surprised face. “I’m not opposed to the idea of another baby. You?”

   He grinned, hands rubbing her bare thighs, stopping at the hem of her shorts. “I wouldn’t mind waiting to have another, but I don’t hate the idea of practicing.”

   She grinned at him, “Then you decide. Condoms or not?”

   He sighed, sitting up and kissing her softly. She smiled into the kiss, knowing he was stalling. His lips moved with hers, his tongue slipping between her parted lips and gently sliding over hers. His hands slid over her shoulders, pulling his work shirt off of her and throwing it over the side of the bed. One of his hands held her hip while the other slid up her arm to her neck. His thumb rubbed the skin below her ear as his tongue danced with hers.

    She pulled back, gasping for breath, “What’s your answer, honey?”

    He groaned and flopped onto his back, making her laugh, “I hate condoms, but I want to spend more time with Dawn alone before we throw another baby into the mix.”

    She nodded, sliding his shirt up and leaning down, propping herself up on her arms, her hands next to his face, “I’d have to agree with both. We could always wait until the birth control is effective again.”

   “If I have to wait that long, I’m gonna go crazy.”

   She laughed, “Wait! You aren’t crazy already?!”

   He growled and grabbed her, pulling her close before rolling them until he was on top. “Oh, I’m crazy.” He leaned down and kissed her collarbone. “Absolutely insane.”

   She sighed as he kissed over her shoulder, grabbing the sides of his face and pulling it up until she caught his green eyes. “Dean?” She ran her fingers over the light freckles on his face as he hummed and kissed her wrist. “I, um, I just wanted to tell you.” She leaned up and brushed her lips against him, whispering against them, “I love you, Dean.”

   “I know.” His hand covered hers, and his lips moved to her palm, kissing it softly, “I love you too, Katie.”

   She laid back down, smiling up at him, “You know, there is another option.”

   He quirked his eyebrow, “What’s that?”

   She slid her hands down his chest and stomach, resting one on his hip and the other slipped between them and cupped him, her voice a purr, “No condoms needed if you’re fucking my mouth.”

   His eyes slammed shut, and his hips pushed into her hand, “Fuck, that sounds so hot when you say it that way.”

   She grinned and leaned up, her hand leaving his hip so she could prop herself up on her elbow to whisper in his ear, “I want to taste you, Dean.”

   He groaned and pushed her down on the bed, propping himself up on his elbow as he leaned down, face inches from hers, “That pretty mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble.”

   She smirked, her hand giving him a quick squeeze, “So fill it.”

   He growled and crashed his lips into hers, teeth nibbling her bottom lip. Her hands slid up his sides, pulling his shirt up. He leaned back and pulled it off, throwing it across the room. He leaned down and kissed her neck, teeth grazing the skin before he kissed her jaw, bringing his lips back to hers. She ran her hands over his chest, fingernails lightly scratching his chest. His hips ground into her and she gasped before nipping his bottom lip. He chuckled into the kiss, slowing down, the kiss turning softer.

   Kat sighed, her hand moving to the back of his head, holding his lips to hers. Her other hand slid between them, undoing his belt and jeans. He pulled back, groaning, as her hand slipped into his jeans to squeeze the base of him. His forehead rested against hers, breath falling over her face, his eyes closed. She smiled as she watched his face, her fingers sliding over his shaft.

   Pulling her hand away, she giggled when his eyebrows knit together. She licked her palm and grasped him again. His face relaxed, and his lips parted. She stroked him up and down, swirling her hand around his tip. His breath caught, and his hips punched into her hand. She pushed her lips up, mouth sucking on his bottom lip. He groaned, pulling her close with a hand on her back and rolling them over.

   Kat leaned back before kneeling beside his legs, pulling his jeans and boxer briefs off. She moved to kneel between his legs, leaning down to kiss his neck, his hands rubbing her back. He groaned when Kat nipped at the skin on his shoulder, his hands pulling up her tank. She leaned back, helping him remove it before leaning down and kissing across his shoulder. Dean trailed his fingers up her sides, bringing them up to cup her lace covered breasts. She kissed his tattoo before moving down his chest, nipping and caressing his skin. His thumbs trailed over her hardened nipples, and her breath hitched.

   He reached behind her and undid her bra, pulling it off her as she kissed and nipped down his stomach. She looked up into his eyes as she drew closer to his erection. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling it up and out of her way. She smiled at him and pressed her lips against the tip of him, lips parted as she drew them down the underside of his shaft. He groaned, cock twitching against her lips. She kissed the base of him before her tongue licked a long stripe up his length.

   Dean moaned, “Fuck, Katie. You’re going to be the death of me.”

   She grinned up at him before taking the tip of him into her mouth, sucking as her tongue swirled around it. His head kicked back in a silent moan, the hand holding her hair twitching as the other clenched the sheets. She slid down his length, taking more of him into her mouth. She pulled back before taking in more, eyes watching him as he hissed out a breath. She slid back up, swirling her tongue around his tip again. He groaned, and she slid her hands up his thighs until most of him was in her mouth. His mouth fell open, and hips bucked, pushing him entirely into her mouth until she felt him touch the back of her throat. She started to pull back, but his hips thrust him back into her mouth, and she smiled around him.

   Dean groaned and pulled his hips back, gasping, “Sorry, Katie.”

   She slid him out of her mouth, the tip falling out with an audible pop. “Didn’t hear me complaining, honey.”

   She wrapped her lips around him again as he moaned. “God, I don’t deserve you.”

   She ran her nails over his thighs as she drew him back into her mouth. His free hand came down to cup her cheek, pulling her back before his hips drove him into her mouth again. She moaned around him, and he did it again, grunting as her lips reached the base of him. He pumped into her mouth, his grunts and moans growing louder. Her body felt hot as she responded to his noises.

   She squeezed his thigh, and he pulled back, letting him fall from her mouth. Kat took a couple of deep breaths as she licked and kissed his shaft, her hand slowly massaging his sack. She slid him back into her mouth, humming her pleasure at the feeling of his hard cock on her tongue. He grunted as she reached his base again, his hands holding her in place for a moment as she looked up into his lust blown eyes.

   She pulled back, and he slowly pushed back into her. His hips built a slow rhythm, his pace gradually increasing. Kat watched as his lips parted to suck in breaths and she knew he was getting close, her own body feeling like she was going to shatter soon. She pressed her tongue against him harder as it slid over his length and his head kicked back again. He moaned as his cock twitched, releasing hot ropes into her mouth.

   His hips slowed to a stop, and she slid him from her mouth, swallowing the mix of saliva and cum in her mouth. His chest was still heaving as she climbed up his body and laid next to him. Dean pulled her to his chest, nuzzling his face in her hair as his breathing started to slow.

   He tilted her face up and pressed his lips to hers, lips moving lazily with hers. “Fuck, you’re amazing.”

   She giggled and rubbed her hand over his chest and stomach. “Says the guy who just came. Tell me that while we’re fighting and I’ll be more likely to believe you.”

   He chuckled, “I’ll remember that. But you are amazing.” His hand cupped her cheek, and he winked, “Does this mean it’s my turn?”

   “That’s up to you. I’m quite content.” He gave her a confused look, and she laughed, “What can I say? I like pleasing my man.”

   His arm covered his face, “Yeah, I don’t deserve you.”

   “Whatever you say, Dean. I think I'm damn lucky to have you.”

   “No. I’m not that fucking great.”

   She sighed, “I see we are going to start that fight sooner than I thought.”

   He groaned and rolled onto his side to face her, arm moving from his face to wrap around her. “No fight needed. I know who I am.”

   Kat grinned, “So you know that you are smart, caring, strong, kind, loving, and drop dead gorgeous? Why are we arguing about this then?”

   He grumbled, “No, I know I’m just some big, dumb guy that would have never had a shot if I hadn’t already known you. If I had met you in a bar, I’d have used some cheesy ass pick up line, and you would’ve laughed in my face.”

   Kat sighed, “That’s not the case at all.”

   Dean sighed and rolled onto his back, arm falling over his eyes again, “Yeah, it is. Let’s be honest, Kat. I’m pretty fucking worthless. I haven’t been able to keep Sam or you safe, I have sucked at every relationship I’ve been in, and the only thing I’m good at is being the obedient soldier.”

   “That’s enough of that," Kat growled and got up, climbing to straddle his waist and pulling his arm from his face, pinning his hands under hers. "Let me tell you what I know about you. You have done your best for your little brother. Sam's a grown man. He makes his own decisions, and the only thing you can do is give him advice and help him if he asks for it. Did he lose his soul? Yes, but you helped him get it back. Even when he was addicted to demon blood, you helped him detox from that shit. I have a heroin addict for a sister. I KNOW how hard that is.

   “It isn’t your job to keep me safe. It’s my job. If I fuck it up, THEN you can come in to help me, but the key word here is CAN. You don’t have to do anything. You’ve done your best for our daughter and me. Dawn is happy and healthy. So am I.

   “You left Ben and Lisa to keep them safe. Our relationship? Well, we’ve both fucked it up, but we have put the pieces back together and somehow made it stronger. You are an amazing boyfriend, dad, friend, brother, and, well, yes, hunter. But the hunter part of you isn’t nearly as impressive as the rest, given the situation you grew up in. You’ve turned out to be far more than anyone that knew you thought that you would be. Than YOU thought you could be. You have so many great qualities that you don’t seem to see and if I have to pin you down like this for the rest of our lives and remind you, I will!”

    Dean’s eyes had gone wide as she spoke and he grinned, “Did you just admit you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me?”

   Kat blushed and sighed, “Yes, I did, and I meant it, but that’s not the point I was trying to get across.”

   He chuckled, “Oh, I got the rest. I’m just enjoying the fact that you admitted you want to spend the rest of our lives together.”

   She grumbled and leaned back, brushing the hair from her face, “You’re making me regret that already.”

   He leaned up, his hands coming to her hips to slide her back and onto his thighs. “Hey, Katie?” She glared at him, and he kissed her nose, “You’re amazing.” She threw her hands in the air and went to climb off him, but he held her to him, face nuzzling her neck. “I mean it. I want you to kick my ass back into line for the rest of our lives.”

   She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, “Be careful what you wish for, Winchester. Your ass is going to get really sore at this point.”

   “I’m okay with that.” She felt the rumble of his laugh against her chest.


	53. Tradition

   Kat went upstairs; hair still wet after her fun-filled shower with Dean. She had cuddled with him afterward, waiting until she was sure he was asleep before sneaking out of bed and dressing. Her stomach was grumbling, and she needed food fast. Kat grinned as she walked into the kitchen, seeing Sam sitting at the breakfast nook, feeding Dawn a jar of baby food.

   “Hey, Sam. You hungry?”

   He looked up and smiled, “Starving, but Dawn was too hungry to wait for me to make myself something.”

   “Yeah, she gets that way. Kinda like her dad.”

   Sam laughed, “She definitely gets it from him.”

   Kat opened the fridge, checking what she had. “How about a Caesar salad with leftover grilled chicken?”

   “That sounds great!”

   She laughed and grabbed what she needed before starting to make a large bowl for each of them. “You must be hungry if leftover grilled chicken sounds good.”

   He chuckled, “I would have eaten earlier, but Dawn was still sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake her.”

   “How long did she sleep?”

   “Three hours!”

   Kat laughed, “Sounds about right for her afternoon nap. Next time lay her down in her playpen and feed yourself. You’re no good to anyone if you are passing out from low blood sugar.”

   He sighed, “I know. She’s too damn cute though, especially since her eyes are getting brighter.”

   She grabbed the two bowls of salad and brought them to the nook, grabbing two forks on her way over. She placed her bowl and fork down before walking around the counter and setting Sam’s down. She kissed his forehead and Dawn’s before she sat down to eat.

   “What was that for?”

   She looked up at him, swallowing her bite. “You gave Dean and me some time together and fed Dawn. Are you kidding me? We owe you.”

   He laughed and finished feeding Dawn. “You guys talk or do I not want to know what you did?”

   “We talked, mostly.”

   “Dean tell you he wants a brood of kids?”

   “Well, not exactly. We decided we would want another, but wanted to spend more time with Dawn before giving her a sibling.”

   He chuckled, “Look at you two, making plans for a future. Never thought I’d see the day that Dean settled down.”

   Kat smiled, “Actually, that was something we talked about.”

   Sam choked on his bite of salad and Kat came over to slap him on the back, “I’m okay. Just a little shocked. What do you mean you talked about settling down?”

   She sighed and went back to her seat, “Well, we got into an argument about his self-loathing, and I told him I would pin him down and explain his finer points for the rest of my life if I had to.”

   Sam chuckled, “I don’t doubt that you would. What did he say?”

   “He told me he wanted me to kick his ass back into line for the rest of our lives. I warned him he’d have a sore ass pretty quick, but he seemed unperturbed.”

   He burst out laughing, “You two have a weird way of showing affection.”

   She shrugged, “Different strokes for different folks, Sam.”

   “What’s he doing now?”

   “Passed out in bed. I thought he was dead when I crawled out of bed and Dean didn’t try to keep me there, but he’s breathing.”

   “He didn’t sleep last night. Said he wasn’t tired, but he seemed pretty upset about something. I think he was having nightmares again. I tried talking to him, but you know how difficult he can be.”

   “Definitely not one of his finer points, but he did seem pretty deep in the self-hatred cycle earlier. That’s why I got grumpy with him.”

   Sam sighed and pushed his empty bowl away, “Well, I guess I’ll leave the talk to you. You are better at getting him to talk than I am. Want me to keep Dawn tonight?”

   “You don’t have to do that. You’ve had her for a while now.”

   He smiled at his niece, “I don’t mind. Gotta get my time in now. You know Dean will steal her back in the morning, and I'll have to wait to get more time with her.”

   Kat laughed, “You two spoil us females when you are here. Both of you take Dawn, and I get a much-needed break. Otherwise, I have to wait until Cas pops in and helps.”

   Sam unhooked Dawn from her highchair and put her on his knee, large hands holding her upright. “Well, it’s not like Dean and I get much time with you guys. A couple of days and then we have to head out again for a week or so. We have to get our time in somehow.”

   Kat smiled, “Actually, I was thinking. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. It’s Dawn’s first, and I wanted to run to the store and buy everyone a small present. I figured it could be a tradition for us.”

   “That would be fun. I don’t know about Dean, but I wouldn’t mind running out to grab a few things.”

   “Well, you go first. You can take one of my cars, and I’ll go when you get back.”

   “Maybe I should see if Dean wants to go with me so he can grab stuff if he wants?”

   She snorted, “You can try to wake him up, but he’s passed out. He’s also naked as the day he was born.” Sam gave her a look, and she groaned, “We took a shower, and he passed out before he dressed. If you’re lucky, the towel hasn’t fallen off yet.”

   Sam got out of his chair and handed Dawn to Kat, who whined and reached for her uncle. He kissed the top of both of their heads and went downstairs. Kat stood and cleaned off the breakfast nook with Dawn on her hip. Dawn squawked and growled at her mother, kicking her with her feet. She kept pulling at Kat’s shirt, and Kat groaned.

   Kat carried Dawn to the couch and sat down, sitting the baby on her lap, “Uncle Sammy just fed you a whole jar of food! How are you still hungry?” Dawn pushed her face into Kat’s breasts, and Kat groaned, “Yup, you’re your father’s child.”

   Kat got comfortable and grabbed a pillow to rest her arms on. She turned on the tv and pulled her tank down on one side, letting Dawn latch. Kat ran her hand over her daughter’s soft light brown hair. Dawn’s eyes looked up at her, and she smiled. Dawn’s eyes now had threads of green through them, and Kat found herself hoping they would be like Dean’s.

   She heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Sam and Dean come out. “Holy shit! You got him up?!”

   Dean grumbled and sat at the nook, laying his head on his arms on the nook. “He said he’d feed me. I want pie.”

   Sam laughed, “Food is always the way to get him up.”

   “Duly noted. You guys head to the store, and I’ll keep Dawn entertained.”


	54. Curiousity

   Katherine woke up the next morning with Dean pressed against her back. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Dean’s arm was around her, his hand bunched in the tank top she was wearing. His breath floated over her hair in fast puffs, and Kat sighed, knowing he was having one of his dreams. He hadn’t had one in a while, but she knew when they happened, he needed to feel grounded. She trailed her fingers over his arm before covering his hand, giving light touches so he would remember where he was.

   His hand relaxed under her touch, and she thread her fingers between his. Her eyes floated closed as his breathing evened out again. Dean shifted his hips, and she bit her bottom lip as his arousal pressed against her, the tip somehow sliding under her panties. She heard him grumble in his sleep before he relaxed again.

   Kat quietly giggled before she heard him grumble again. His hand untangled from hers and brushed the hair from her shoulder. His mouth came down to kiss her shoulder.

   His voice was deep from sleep as he asked, “What’s so funny, Katie?”

   She sighed as his hand massaged her ribs, “I was thinking, even when you’re asleep or half asleep, you’re trying to get into my panties.”

   He grumbled and ground his hips into hers, groaning when he felt more of him slip under her panties to rub over her folds. “Fair point. Why don’t we take them off, so they aren’t a problem anymore?”

   She giggled, “You were the one that asked me to wear something to bed in case Sam came down.”

   His fingers came down to the hem of her top, sliding under to rest below her breast. “Stupid of me to do that. You should always sleep naked.”

   Kat arched her back as his hand came up to cover her breast and his lips kissed her neck. “Dean, you’re going to start something we agreed not to do.”

   She felt him smile against her skin before he pinched her nipple, causing her to gasp. “We agreed to no sex without condoms for the next week. But you got a taste of me last night. I never got to taste you.”

   She let out a small moan when he gently bit under her ear, “And what about him? It seems he wants attention too.”

   “Oh, he’ll get it after I get my taste.”

   She was trying to keep her head as his hand grabbed her tank and he pushed her up to pull it off her. He threw it off the bed and pulled her back down against his chest before his hand covered her other breast, thumbing her hard nipple. His mouth trailed over her neck and shoulder, kissing and nipping before licking away the small stings his nibbles left.

   Kat’s breath hitched as he pinched her nipple. “Dean, we don’t have any condoms.”

   He chuckled against her skin, “Open the top drawer of your nightstand. And hurry up, Katie. I don’t want to wait much longer, and I plan on making you come at least twice.”

   His hand left her, and he rolled onto his back. She knelt on the bed, quirking an eyebrow at him. He raised his eyebrows in impatience, and she crawled over to her nightstand, leaning on the top to open the drawer. She giggled and pulled out a shiny foil, holding it up between her index and middle finger and looking back at him.

   “When did you get these?”

   “Last night when Sam and I went shopping. Threw them in there when you went shopping.” He knelt onto the bed as his hands grabbed her hips and pulled her back to him. His hand moved her hair before he settled her against his thighs, hands kneading her breasts. “Now put that on the bed and let me touch you.”

   She dropped the condom and covered his hands with hers, pushing her ass against him, teasing “Just touch?”

   He growled in her ear, his hand sliding down her belly to her panty-covered core, fingers rubbing over the soft cotton. “Touch, lick, kiss, and bite before I put that damn thing on and make love to my woman.” Her breath hitched at his words, panties soaked by a fresh wave of slick. She felt his smile against the shell of her ear, his fingers rubbing over the now wet cotton, “You like that, huh Katie?”

   She nodded her head, unable to speak as his fingers worked in tandem. One set pinched and teased her nipple while the other rubbed over her heated core. Her hips ground into his hand, silently begging for more as his mouth sucked and kissed the soft skin of her neck.

   His lips brushed against her skin, “Tell me what you want, Katie.” She whimpered, and he pressed his fingers harder against her core quickly before stopping and just cupping her sex, “No, sweetheart. Use your words.”

   Kat licked her lips, her voice a needy whine, “Please, Honey. I need you to touch me.” His fingers twitched against her, and she whimpered, “Dean, please! I’ve missed your touch so much.”

   He hummed and slid his fingers under her panties, tips gliding over her wet lips before his middle finger slid between, teasing her entrance. His finger moved, coming up to her clit and drawing slow circles around it. Kat gasped and grabbed the sides of his thighs, head falling back on his shoulder.

   Dean chuckled, his hand tangled in her hair to pull her to his lips. She pressed her lips against his hard, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth. His finger dragged over her clit, making her gasp before he drew circles again. His tongue plunged into her mouth, twirling with hers before he pulled back, his hand in her hair pulling her face to the side so he could kiss along her jaw.

   His finger slid down, slowly entering her as the heel of his hand pressed against the small bundle of nerves. She gave a quiet moan, her hips pushing against his hand trying to create more friction. He kissed down her neck, sliding another finger in before crooking them against the sweet spot inside of her, and pumping them. Kat moaned, her nails raking up his thighs as she felt herself get closer. Dean let go of her hair, arm wrapping around her to hold her still as she bucked her hips against his hand. He slid a third finger into her, and her eyes slammed shut, a throaty moan escaping her lips. His rhythm picked up as he bit the juncture of her neck and shoulder, making her gasp.

   His fingers pressed harder against her walls and Kat moaned loudly, her orgasm ripping through her body. Dean kissed and sucked on the skin of her shoulder as he slowed his fingers’ thrusts, helping her through the waves as she gasped and her body clenched down on his fingers again and again.

   He slowly pulled his fingers out when she got too sensitive, bringing his fingers up to suck the juices off of them. “Fuck, you taste better than I remember. But I think I need a better taste to be sure.”

   He laid her down on the bed before kneeling between her legs and pressing his body against hers. She sighed, wrapping her arms around his back and nuzzling into his neck. His hand trailed over her side as he kissed her jaw, “You okay, sweetheart?”

   Kat giggled, “I feel a little drunk, and my eyes don’t want to focus.”

   He chuckled, “You want me to wait?”

   “Just a minute. It’s been awhile since I orgasmed like that and my body is still trying to figure out what you just did to it.”

   He propped himself on his elbows over her, “How long?”

   She thought about it. “Since before Dawn was born.”

   “Not even when you fingered yourself?”

   Kat brushed her fingers down his cheek, “Honey, that’s like going from a porterhouse steak to hamburger meat. Sure, it’s the same basic idea, but one is light years better than the other.

   He groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, “Maybe we should take it easy then. The last thing I want to do is hurt you or make you pass out.”

   She giggled again, “Passing out would be a first for me. Is that even possible?” She looked up at him and blinked, “Oh. Okay, yeah. I get what you’re saying. Pretty lights.”

   Dean rolled over and pulled her against his chest, “Yup, we’re done here.”

   She nuzzled his neck, “Dean, honey. I was joking. No pretty lights, eyes are fine, and you’re cute when you’re frazzled.”

   He growled and smacked her ass, “You’re a real pain sometimes.”

   She kissed his neck, “I’m pretty sure you’re the one that just smacked my ass.”

   He pushed her onto her back and rolled on top of her, “And I’ll do it again if you don’t behave.”

   She smirked and caressed his back, “Do I ever behave?”

   He grinned, “Nope, which means I’ll get to spank you a lot.”

   She leaned up and brushed her lips across his, “Be prepared for the consequences.”

   “What will those be?”

   She nibbled on his bottom lip before answering, “I like being spanked, baby.”

   Dean groaned and pressed his lips to hers, moving his lips with hers in a bruising kiss. His hips ground against her, making her gasp. Her hands slid to his hips, pulling them harder against her. He pulled away from the kiss, his hand on her chin forcing her head to the side before he brushed his lips over her jaw and down her neck.

   He nipped at her collarbone as he slid down her body, whispering against her skin, “You are way too fucking sexy.”

   Kat threaded her fingers through his hair as he stopped to nibble the skin of her breasts. His fingers hooked the sides of her panties and slid them down her legs, pulling them off. He kissed down her stomach, his hands sliding under her knees and pulling them up. He looked up at her and smiled, his face inches from her. His breath was hot as it trickled over her and she whimpered, biting her lip.

   His smile turned into a smirk, and he turned his head, kissing over the scar on her thigh, “You want to pretend you’re going to pass out, maybe I should see if I can make you?”

   “You talk a big game, but I think it’s bull.”

   Dean grinned and arched a brow at her, “You think so, huh?”

   He leaned down, his eyes on hers as he trailed his lips over her folds. His tongue lashed out, flicking against her clit before receding into his mouth. Kat whimpered, still overly sensitive from before. Kissing her labia, his hands massaged over her thighs before he flicked his tongue against her again. She gasped at the quick contact and pushed her hips towards him. He shook his head, his hand leaving her thigh and pushing her hip back onto the bed.

   His mouth came down on her clit, sucking it into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it before pulling back from it. Kat moaned and tried to pull his head back down.

   He growled, his free hand catching her wrists and pinning them against her hips. “No, Katie! You want to find out; you play by my rules.” She bit her lip, nodded, and he licked a long stripe up her sex, making her arch her back and pant. “Good girl. Now let me play.”

   He gathered her wrists in one hand and brought the other down to part her. He teased her entrance with his tongue before gliding it up to circle her clit. Kat was panting and moaning when he dragged his tongue over the small bundle of nerves, pressing hard. His mouth sucked her in again, his teeth lightly grazing and she slammed her eyes shut.

   Dean hummed against her before leaning back, his thumb coming to her clit and rubbing it. Her eyes refused to open as his mouth came down on her again, her chest heaving as he slid a finger into her, pressing against her sweet spot. She struggled to move her hands, and he squeezed her wrists, his mouth working her hard. His tongue flicked and dragged over her clit while his lips and mouth sucked her clit. Kat could feel her legs shaking and her chest heaving, hear the slurps and moans Dean was making against her.

   She forced her eyes to open a fraction, looking down to see him sliding another finger into her, the two pressing harder against her walls. His teeth grazed against her again, her moan coming out as a squeak. His green eyes looked up as he smirked at her. His tongue lashed at her again and again, making her back arch and her toes curl.

   Kat tried to hold on, her back arching repeatedly and her legs were shaking harder as she felt another orgasm coming. Dean dragged his tongue over her again, his fingers moving faster. Her vision swam, her lungs barely able to pull in air, and he flicked his tongue over her clit as his mouth pulled her in again. She felt herself fall over the edge, her back arching off the bed as her vision went black.


	55. Valentine

    She could hear Dean whispering in her ear, but her brain was foggy. She barely registered his hand rubbing against her side and arm. Kat moved her face towards his and heard him chuckle. When she finally got her eyes open, her vision was dark.

   “Well hello there, gorgeous.” His smirk as he said it aggravated her.

   Her voice was hoarse as she groaned, “You win, but I think you broke me.”

   He laughed, “You’ll be fine, sweetheart. Take deeper breaths.”

   She tried, but her lungs were still not happy, “Easy for you to say. You didn’t pass out from an orgasm.”

   His chest pressed against her side as he kissed her cheek, “You’re right, baby. I’ve never passed out myself, but I knew it was possible.”

   She looked at him incredulously, “How many women have you done this to?”

   “One. You.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “But you know, lonely nights on the road can lead you down some interesting paths.”

   Kat took a deep breath and sighed as her lungs finally cooperated, “Well, I guess I’m glad to be your test subject.”

   He laughed and kissed her softly, “It was pretty wild. You arched off the bed, and your legs curled around me, shaking like crazy and then? You went limp.”

   She rolled towards him, leg wrapping around his hip as she cuddled up to his chest. “Sounds kinda terrifying.”

   He shrugged and wrapped his arms around her, “I knew you’d be okay. The question is, how did it feel for you?”

   She pressed her face to his chest and groaned, “Not gonna lie, Dean. It was pretty amazing.”

   She felt his chest rumbled with laughter, “Really?”

   “Definitely one of the best orgasms of my life. Fuck honey, I knew you were great at that, but I’m starting to think you’ve been holding out on me.”

   He chuckled, “I’m not going to make you pass out every time.” His fingers brushed through her hair, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the soft touch and the way it made her relax, “I like hearing your soft moans way too much.”

   She lightly trailed her fingers over his side and chest as he kissed the top of her head. “Dean?” She felt him nod and she continued, “What about you?”

   “What do you mean?”

   She wrapped her arm around his back and pulled her hips closer to his, pressing against his erection, “Rephrase, what about him?”

   “I’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s a good idea to make you cum again.”

   She giggled and slid her hand over his hip, moving back to trail her fingers up his shaft. “I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”

   His hand came up her side and cupped her jaw, gently pulling it up to look at him. “Just like you could handle yourself and not pass out.”

   “Not the same. If we take it slow, I’ll be fine.”

   “I don’t know, Katie.” His eyes looked down into hers, filled with worry.

   She sighed and kissed him, her lips softly pressing against his, “I’ll tell you if it’s too much, I promise.”

   He groaned, “Are you sure?”

   Kat pushed him on his back, her hand sliding over to grab the condom. She straddled his thighs and leaned down, brushing her lips against his before kissing along his jaw. His hands massaged her thighs as hers ran up his chest, the condom left next to them on the bed. She gently scratched down his chest and stomach, grinning against his neck as his breath hitched. She trailed her fingers down his hips before grasping his base as she sucked on the bottom of his neck.

   He groaned and squeezed her thighs, “Katie, if we’re doing this, it needs to be soon. Watching and helping you orgasm twice? I don’t think I can wait.”

   Kat leaned back and smiled sweetly at him, grabbing the condom off the bed and ripping the foil open. Dean slid his hands up her sides, squeezing her ribs and pulling her down to softly kiss her lips. He held her off of him while they kissed and she slid the condom over his length. She moved up his body before grasping him and lining him up.

   She slowly eased him inside of her, moaning into the kiss as she stretched to fit him. Dean’s hands squeezed her ribs lightly, his low moan mixing with hers. She had to stop halfway down, her body aching from its use. He groaned and deepened the kiss, his tongue thrusting between her parted lips. She planted her hands on his chest, propping herself up as his hands moved to cup her face.

   His thumbs traced her cheekbones as their tongues danced and her body relaxed. She slid up his shaft before moving down again, slowly bringing more inside of her. She did it again until, finally, her hips connected with his and she pulled back from the kiss, both of them gasping. Her legs were shaking already, and she bit her lip.  

   He trailed his hands down her sides, stopping to hold her hips as she slowly lifted them. His hands held her off of his hips as he slowly thrust into her, making her head fall back in pleasure. He pulled her down as he pushed again and she let out a small moan. Her head rolled forward, and she moved her hips with his, her fingers clutching at his chest.

   Kat’s body was too sensitive as she moved against him, every movement felt amplified and made her legs shake. Dean’s rough hands were trailing up her sides as they moved made her whimper and quietly moan. His hand slipped behind her back, pulling her to his chest as he rolled them onto their sides, the same hand pulling her leg over his hip before pressing against her back.

   His hips moved against hers, pushing him deeper into her as he pressed his lips to her forehead. He moaned as she moved her hips with his, their pace slow and steady. Her small moans escaped her lips each time he pressed into her. She could feel her orgasm building again, and she grabbed his hip, pulling him to her.

   Dean nudged her forehead with his nose, making her look up into his darkened green eyes, his voice low and hoarse, “You okay, sweetheart?”

   Kat nodded, biting her lip as he pressed into her again, “I’m getting close again.”

   He nodded and rolled her onto her back, pulling her shaking knees up before grabbing her ass and slowly pushing into her again. “Tell me if I need to stop.”

   She moaned loudly as he bottomed out, her knees pressing against his sides. His lips parted, a low moan escaping and he pulled back, one hand sliding to her lower back before he leaned down, propping himself up on his elbow. His hips moved slowly, thrusting in before pulling back again as he kissed her jaw and neck.

   Kat pulled his face to hers, lips crashing into his as her hand ran through his hair. She moved her hips with his, knowing she was on edge. Dean pressed his forehead to hers, his warm breath ragged as it puffed over her face. He thrust harder into her, and she grabbed his shoulders, feeling the muscles of his back moving under the hot skin.

   She moaned his name loudly as he punched into her. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he quickly thrust into her again and her eyes fluttered shut. His hand grabbed her hip, pulling it into a new position for his next thrust. Her head fell back as a guttural moan fell from her lips, his tip pressing hard against the perfect spot.

   His hips started thrusting quicker into her, each thrust earning him a low moan. Her body couldn’t take much more, and she didn’t want him to stop before he found his release. She brought her mouth to his neck, kissing and nipping his skin as her hands traced his spine. Dean moaned, his head falling forward as his hips punched harder into her. Kat moaned against his skin, her teeth grazing his skin as she climaxed. Her toes curled in pleasure as she pushed her hips up to his and a deep moan fell from his lips, his hips stuttering as he orgasmed.

   He held his body up on his elbows as she relaxed, their breath ragged. He kissed her nose, making her giggle before he pressed his face into her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair, sighing as her breathing started to calm.

   He slowly eased out of her, groaning as she whimpered. “I’m sorry, Katie but I have to take this thing off.”

   She bit her lip as he fell out of her, trying to stop her whining, “I know. I hate that damn empty feeling I get when you pull out.”

   He kissed her cheek before rolling over to pull off the condom and throw it out. “I know, sweetheart. It won’t be long until we don't need these damn things anymore.”

   Kat sighed and rolled to face him as he laid back on the bed, “It’s almost enough for me to say fuck it and tell you not to bother with them.”

   He laughed and pulled her to his side, “Almost?”

   She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, her fingers connecting the freckles on his chest, “Yeah, then I remember fifteen hours of labor and an hour of pushing a five-pound infant out of me. Then there was the NICU stay and the last several months. Yeah, I’m good for now.”

   He rubbed his hand over her shoulder, “Okay, yeah. That makes me rethink having more children.”

   She rolled onto her belly, her arm draping over his flat stomach. “Not me. I wouldn’t mind another, just give me a little more time to forget the worst parts.”

   He rubbed a hand down her spine, his other hand sliding over her arm on his stomach to hold her hand. “I’ll leave that decision to you. Just let me know.” He kissed the top of her head. “Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful.”

   She propped herself up and kissed him. “Happy Valentine’s Day, handsome.”


	56. Tired

    Kat fell face first on the bed, groaning. She was exhausted after a long day of family, friends, and the Valentine’s Day party at the bar. Sam, Dean, Dawn, and she had exchanged gifts at home. Sam had given her a new book to read and Dawn, with Dean’s help, had given her a necklace with a Tree of Life on it with all of their birthstones. Dean’s gift was a new leather jacket and a bottle of her favorite perfume. Liz and her family had stopped by with a vase of flowers and a new family portrait for her wall.

    The bar had been packed to the brim with patrons, and Kat and the dancers had worked hard to keep everyone entertained, Kat performing several dances and songs. Dean had come out to watch and dance with Kat and their friends. Dawn had stayed with Sam at the house. 

    She had felt gorgeous leaving the house that night. Dean had surprised her with reservations for dinner at her favorite restaurant before the party, asking Ashlyn to help her get ready. Ash had taken it as her mission to make sure she looked and felt her best. She had brought over a new dress for Kat to wear. It was a blood red, spaghetti strap dress that hugged her curves and the skirt ended mid-thigh, making her legs look even longer. The open back and V-neck had made Kat nervous, but once she put it on, she loved it. 

    Now, she laid on the bed, trying to kick off her black heels, but her body was too tired to listen. She heard Dean come in, the lights in the room brightened. She groaned, hiding her head under her pillow. 

    “Someone’s grumpy.” She raised her arm slightly and flipped him the bird, making him laugh. “Well, that makes me want to help you with those shoes.” 

    She whimpered and wiggled her feet, her voice muffled by the pillow, “Please, Dean. I’m so tired.” 

    Dean laughed, and she felt his large hands grab her ankles, working on the straps that held the shoes on. “So Katie does have manners!” 

    Once she felt him take the shoes off, she flipped him off again. “Only to get what I want, Cuddle Pants.” 

    He grumbled under his breath and slapped her ass, “See if I help you again.” 

    She giggled and shook her ass, “You will because you love me, even when I’m rude and manipulative.” 

    He chuckled, and she could hear him moving around. Pulling the pillow off her head and rolling over, she watched as he took his dress shoes off and loosened his black and silver tie. She smiled and licked her lips, unable to tear her eyes away as he started unbuttoning his dark grey suit jacket. She loved seeing him in a suit and tonight, with the black dress shirt underneath; he looked positively drool-worthy. 

    “Hey, Dean?” He hummed to let her know he was listening. “Thank you for helping me tonight.” 

    He flashed her a brilliant smile and came to sit on the edge of the bed by her. “You’re welcome, beautiful. I’m going to run upstairs and grab the gifts before we go to bed. I want to get everything put away before Dawn gets up.” 

    She nodded and waited until he left to roll back over, enjoying the view of him in his suit just a little longer. She tried to reach for the zipper of her dress, but couldn’t, so she laid there, falling asleep in her dress. 

    Two hours later, she woke up to Dean’s hand running over her side and she sighed into her pillow. “Katie, sweetheart? Plan on taking that dress off any time soon?” She grumbled and flipped him off again, making him laugh. “I’m not complaining, but it can’t be comfortable to sleep in.” 

    She pushed the pillow off her face, “It’s surprisingly comfortable. But if you want it off so bad, you take it off.” 

    He cleared his throat and shifted, “I could do that, but you’re tired, and that dress looks fucking sexy on you.” 

    She grinned, “Can’t look nearly as good as you in that suit.” 

    Dean smiled at her, “Thank you, baby. But there is still the issue of you’re tired, and if I take that off of you, I’m not going to be.” 

    She wiggled against the bed, “I got a nap while you brought everything down. I think you could persuade me.” 

    He winked at her and climbed onto their bed, straddling her calves. “I think I could.” She felt his hands grip her hips before they slid up her sides, thumbs brushing over her bare back. She sighed and closed her eyes. He leaned down, one hand coming up to brush her curled hair from her shoulder and back. His warm breath coasted over the skin over her spine as he traced it with his lips. 

    He kissed the junction between her neck and shoulder before whispering against her skin, “You looked amazing tonight.” He kissed below her ear. “It was so hard to keep my hands off of you when I saw you in this dress.” He kissed her jaw before leaning back to trail his fingers down her spine, stopping when they reached the zipper at her lower back. His hands cupped her ass and squeezed, making Kat giggle. “Fuck, your ass looks great in this dress.” 

    He leaned down and kissed and nipped up her shoulder to her neck before he moved to her spine, his mouth pressing open-mouthed kisses down it. She shivered underneath him, whimpering when he sat up. He chuckled as he unzipped the dress and slid the straps off her shoulders. She helped him by pulling her arms out of them. Dean reached between her and the bed, pulling the dress down off her chest. 

    His knuckles trailed over the sides of her breasts, and he whispered in her ear, “How am I doing so far?” 

    Kat wiggled her ass, keeping her voice level, “Not bad, but the dress is still covering half of me.” 

    He chuckled, “Oh, I know. I’ll get to that half in a minute.” He leaned down and reached between the bed and her to grab her breasts. Dean pulled her up as he sat back, making her kneel on the bed. His thumbs brushed against the tops of her breasts as he whispered against the shell of her ear, “I’m having fun with this half still.” 

     She gasped as he kneaded her breasts, pushing her ass against him, “But this half wants some attention now.” 

    He nipped her earlobe, his hand wrapping around her waist and holding her against him, “Impatient, Katie?” 

    She nodded and turned her face to look at him, “Very.” 

    His fingers pinched her nipple, and she gasped, “Too bad, sweetheart.” 

    He pushed her back down and leaned down, kissing her shoulder before flipping her over. His lips traced her collarbone down before kissing the hollow spot between them. His hands brushed under her breasts, and she bit her lip. She tangled her fingers in his hair before sliding her hands behind his head and pulling him up to her lips. 

    His lips pressed hard against hers, moving with hers as he supported himself with one hand. The other cupped her breast, thumb teasing her nipple. He pulled back and smiled at her before moving to her other breast, tongue flicking over the nipple before he blew cool air on it. Kat whimpered and arched her back, Dean smirking and closing his lips around her nipple and pulling it into his mouth. His teeth grazed against it as his thumb rubbed over the other, making her let out a small moan. 

    He kissed his way to the other nipple, nipping it before pulling it into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it. He leaned up, scooting back until her legs were free. He grabbed the dress and her panties and pulled them down her long legs, and Kat helped him pull her free of them. He nudged her legs apart, hands kneading their way up her legs before settling on her hips as he knelt between her legs. 

    Kat licked her lips, enjoying the sight of him in his suit kneeling between her legs. She leaned up, grabbing his tie and pulling him down to her, her mouth pulling his bottom lip in, sucking on it before nibbling. He groaned and pulled back, pulling his suit jacket off and throwing it to the side. She kept hold of his tie, using it to pull him down into a deep kiss, their lips parting and his tongue plunging into her mouth to tangle with hers. 

    He planted his hands on either side of her head, pressing his body against hers. Her nose was filled with his scent as their lips moved together, tongues darting out to tangle before retreating. His hips pressed hard against her, and she gasped, feeling his confined arousal pressing against her. He kissed down her jaw before he crawled down her body, scattering open-mouthed kisses down her chest and stomach. 

    He brushed his lips over her folds, and she whimpered, the feeling of his hot breath on her making her shiver. His hand pressed against her hip as he kissed her folds, sucking them into his mouth. His tongue darted between, teasing her entrance before sweeping up to flick her clit. 

    Kat moaned, reaching down to tangle her fingers in his hair. The hand that was not holding her still came over to part her folds, and he sucked her clit into his mouth. His tongue swept over it as he moved his other hand down, his finger teasing her entrance. 

    She whimpered, “Please, Honey! I need you inside of me.” 

    He moaned against her, the vibrations it caused making her mewl as his tongue swept over her clit again. He leaned back on his knees and pulled off his tie, tossing it onto his suit jacket before he started unbuttoning his black dress shirt. Kat sat up and brushed his hands aside as she pressed kisses over each patch of skin that was exposed as she unbuttoned his shirt. 

    She got on all fours in front of him after she undid the last few buttons and pulled his shirt free for his suit pants. His hands slid down her back as she unbuttoned the last button. She leaned up and pushed the shirt from his shoulders and down his arms, dragging her nails over his skin. Dean groaned and pulled her into a slow kiss. Kat savored the taste of her on his lips before reaching down to unbutton his pants. 

    She pulled out of the kiss and licked and kissed her way down his chest and stomach until she was on all fours again. He tangled the fingers of one hand in her hair, and she unzipped his pants, pushing them and his boxer briefs down his thighs. Kat looked up to smile at him before taking the head of his erection into her mouth. 

    He moaned as her tongue swirled around the tip, the hand on the back of her head pulling her to him and forcing more into her mouth. She mewled around him, making him gasp and push his hips forward. She gladly took more of him into her mouth, whimpering when he pulled her head back, leaving only his tip in. She flicked her tongue over the slit on the end, and he grunted, pulling her to him again until her mouth was full and her lips wrapped around his base. 

    Kat looked up into his lust-blown eyes, and his hips stuttered against her mouth. “Fuck, Katie. That has to be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” 

    She pressed her tongue hard against his shaft, and he pulled his hips and her head back before thrusting into her mouth again. She moaned around him, and his eyes slammed shut as he let out a low moan. He pumped his cock in and out of her mouth as his free hand slid down her back. He leaned forward, his hand reaching her ass and rubbing it. 

    He pushed deep into her mouth and slapped her ass, making her mewl and shiver. “You like that, Katie?” 

    He pulled his hips back, and she nodded. He gave a deep chuckle and thrust into her mouth again, his hand slapping her other buttcheek. She moaned, and he pulled out of her mouth, pulling her up into a rough kiss. 

    His teeth nipped her lower lip, and he whispered against her lips, his tone demanding, “Turn around and close your eyes.” 

    Kat nodded and did as he said, his hand pushing between her shoulder blades until her chest was against the bed and her ass was in the air. His nails scratched down her spine as she heard him kick off his pants. He pressed his hips against her, his erection sliding between her folds to rub against her clit. 

    His hand kneaded her ass, and he rubbed his cock between her folds, his voice rough, “I want you just like this.” 

    Kat whimpered, turning her face to the side, “Then do it, baby.” 

    He pulled back, and she could hear him opening the drawer of the nightstand. She listened to the foil of the condom as he ripped it open and the sound of him rolling it over his cock. She startled when his fingers slipped between her folds to rub against her clit before he slid a digit into her entrance. 

    She moaned as he slid another into her and his lips pressed against her back, “Gotta make sure you’re ready, Katie.” 

    She couldn’t help the shiver that ran down her spine as his fingers pulled out of her and he lined himself up with her entrance. He pressed into her, one hand grabbing her hip before the other gripped her ass. He groaned as she took all of his length, his hips bucking into her. She mewled, and he pulled back before he slammed into her again. He set a bruising pace, his hips slapping against her ass as his hands held her steady and she gasped and moaned under him. 

    His hand kneaded her ass before he slapped it hard, making her breath hitched. His hand massaged the sting away before it gripped her hip and pulled her into his thrusts. Kat let out a low moan as he thrust deeper into her. Her body felt on fire as she felt him lean into her, fingers sliding under her to tease her clit. 

     His other hand trailed up her stomach and between her breasts before grabbing her shoulder. He pulled her up slightly, his hips slamming into her. She braced herself on the headboard, moaning loudly as his fingers rubbed hard against her and his tip pressed against the perfect spot inside of her. 

     She grabbed the hand on her shoulder, her breath coming in gasps and quick moans as he kept up his relentless pace. His fingers threaded with hers, his hard breaths and low moans telling her he was close. He pulled her even harder onto him, his hips grinding into her before he pulled back and did it again. Kat’s breath hitched before she let out a long moan as she slipped over the edge. His pace never slowed as he pulled her up more and kissed her shoulder. He thrust into her a few more times before he let out a low moan and bit her shoulder as he came and his hips stuttered into her before stopping. 

    He pulled her back against his chest and kissed where he bit, cursing, “Shit! Sorry, Katie. You okay?” 

    She was panting as answered him, “I’m great, honey.” 

    He pulled her down, laying them on their sides and nuzzling her neck, “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.” 

    She giggled, her breath slowly returning, “Me too.” 

    They laid there, catching their breaths and cuddling for a little bit. Dean kept kissing her shoulder and she reached back to thread her fingers through his hair, lightly scratching his scalp. He hummed and brushed her hair off her neck before kissing under her ear. 

    She giggled and waited for him pull out, Dean getting up to throw out the condom before laying next to her and turning her to face him. “I thought you wanted to sleep, Dean?” 

    Dean smiled, “I do, but can’t yet.” 

    She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling when his eyes started to drift closed. “I see it works for you too.” 

    He laughed, eyes snapping open to stare into hers. “Kinda. Feels good, though.” 

    “Well, that would be the point.” She propped her head upon her hand, “If you don’t want to or can't sleep, what do you want to do?” 

    “Dunno.” 

    She groaned, “Fine. Um, if you could do anything but hunting, what would it be?” 

    He stared at her, confused, “Why wouldn’t I be hunting?” 

    Kat glared, “Play the game or I go to sleep.” 

    “Fine. Uh, researching.” 

    Grumbling, she dropped her head into the pillow. “You found that loophole. No hunting, no monsters to hunt, no researching, no angels, no demons. None of that.” She looked up to see him shaking his head. “Okay, well. If I could do anything, I would adopt my nieces, continue with my bar, and maybe go to school. I don’t know what I would go to school for, but I’d love to go back and get a degree.” 

    Dean’s brow furrowed, but he nodded. “I hated school. I’d skip that. But I’d work at your bar if you’d let me.” 

    “But what would you WANT to do?” 

    “Shit, I don’t know.” She poked his side, hitting his ticklish spot and making him jerk. “Fine! I’d probably, um.” She could see his blush in the low lighting and she scratched his scalp, rubbing her fingers through his hair again. He closed his eyes and relaxed. “I’d probably open up a home for boys or something, like Sonny’s. Take in kids that need help.” 

    Kat smiled, fingers still combing through his hair. “I think you’d be good at that, honey. If I wouldn’t have my nieces, I’d help, but Isadora would have a field day at a boy’s home.” 

    He hummed, a smile playing on his face for a second before it fell and he pulled her closer. “I don’t know. I’d try it out though. Now we need sleep, beautiful.” 

    Kissing his cheek, she giggled. “Still not one for touchy-feely stuff?” 

    “Not my favorite thing, but I don’t mind it so much with you. Just don’t want to think about something that will never happen for me.”


	57. Ask

    Kat tied her hair up into a ponytail before heading out to the garage. Bobby was in town, and he and Dean were working on the cars. Sam was playing tool monkey in between keeping Dawn entertained. Dawn’s birthday was just months away, and Kat was excited to celebrate with their friends and family.

    When she walked out into the garage, Dean and Bobby were leaning under the hood of the Impala, while Sam held Dawn’s hands and walked her through the garage. Dawn giggled and bounced when she saw her mom, making Kat and Sam laugh. Kat walked over and picked her up, putting her on her hip before kissing Sam’s cheek and going over to see what could be done for the Impala. 

    “Ya idgit. You’ve got two hoses loose, and you’ve been drivin’ it around knowing it wouldn’t end well.” 

    Dean sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, “I know, Bobby.” 

    Kat giggled as Dawn bounced on her hip, “Don’t forget to look at the air compressor, Babe. It’s been acting funny.” 

    Dean scowled at her and Bobby smacked him with a rag, “Your air compressor is messed up too?” 

    Dean stuck his head under the hood again. “Yeah, but it’s not like I have another car I can drive!” 

    She cleared her throat, waiting for the men to look at her before she waved her hand around the garage. “Excuse me, but we have plenty of cars.” 

    Dean grumbled, “Those are YOUR cars. This is mine. It’s different. I don’t want to have to ask you to borrow your cars.” 

    She furrowed her brow, “When have I ever told you to ask, Dean? Pick a car and go. Beauty and Bomb are both outfitted like yours to have a hidden compartment in the trunk. Narcissa, too! Cheshire is the only one that is different. His is under the passenger seat.” 

    “They’re still yours.” 

    She groaned and bounced Dawn on her hip, “Dean, we share a house, a kid, a bathroom, a bed. Why not cars?” 

    He sighed and leaned a hip against Baby, “Because two of these were your dad’s and two are yours. The only thing we don’t share is the last name at this point.” He shrugged, “and cars.” 

    She smirked, dropping the car issue for later, and looked at their smiling daughter, “Even Dawn is now officially a Winchester with the papers filed. I’m the only Gunner left in this house.” 

    Bobby smacked Dean with a rag before leaning against the back counters next to Sam, “Boy, you better get a move on before I die of old age.” 

    “Get a move on for what? You guys can fix Baby, and I can help. Or is it the last name, because we already share everything except a last name. I don’t need the last name to feel like we’re a family.” 

    Sam groaned as Dean smirked, “Would you even want the last name? Winchester hasn’t exactly opened wonderful doors for Sam or me.” 

    She shrugged and shifted Dawn to her other hip as their daughter started to wiggle, “Would I want to marry you? Sure, but I’m not saying we have to get married. We’re both living a life that we never thought we would get. Besides, I’ve only ever seen a handful of happy marriages. I’m starting to think it’s a myth.” 

    Dean stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat. “So you don’t ever want to get married?” 

    The other two guys chuckled, and Kat sighed, “I feel like I’m missing something here. Yes, if you asked me, I would marry you. But, on that note, I don’t want you to ask me if you don’t want a marriage. We’ve already got a kid we both thought we’d never have and if marriage was going to make you in some way unhappy, then I don’t want it. Does that make sense?” 

    Dean smirked, “Yeah, that makes sense.” He walked over and hugged her, “And yes, you are missing something.” He reached behind him and grabbed a small box from his back pocket. “Katie, I love you and want to spend the rest of our lives together.” He stepped back and opened the box to reveal a small ring with a diamond in the center and two rubies and topazes on either side, “Marriage doesn’t scare me anymore, not if it’s with you. I’ll get down on one knee if you want me to, but will you marry me, sweetheart?” 

    Kat’s jaw dropped, and she stood there staring at him, blinking hard. “Are you serious?” 

    He smirked, his brother snorting, before Dean pulled the ring from the box, “I’m dead serious, Katie. I want to marry you.” 

    She looked at Dawn, who was reaching for the small ring, “Are you sure you want to get married?” 

    His eyebrows knit together, “I’m positive. I want to marry the woman who gave me a daughter, who always comes back to me, and who loves me even when I’m an ass.” She opened her mouth, and he cut her off, “Yes, I know you can be rude, even a bitch sometimes, but I don’t care. We’ll be assholes together.” 

    She nodded and shifted on her feet, “I-I don’t want you to do this unless you’re sure.” 

    Dean knelt in front of her and grinned, “Wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.” 

    Kat smiled at him before smirking at Dawn, “Do you think Mommy has made Daddy wait long enough for her answer?” 

    Dawn threw her hands up, screaming, “Mama, No!” 

    She laughed and turned back to Dean, “Let’s not listen to the nine-month-old.” She put Dawn down before kneeling down in front of him and cupping his cheek. “Of course I will, Dean.” 

    Dean slid the ring on her left ring finger and pulled her close, kissing her softly. Dawn crawled over, standing up and wiggling in between them. They both laughed and hugged her, kissing her cheeks. 

    Bobby cleared his throat, “Bout damn time you proposed to that girl, Boy.” 

    She laughed, and Dean got up, pulling her up with him before she went to Bobby, kissing his cheek, “Uncle Bobby, you know I didn’t want him to propose unless he was ready to be saddled with my family and me forever.” 

    Sam laughed, “I don’t think he thought that through.” He turned to Dean, “You ready to have Bernice as a mother in law?” 

    Dean smirked, chuckling, “Shit, I didn’t think about that. Can I take back that proposal?” 

    Kat leaned against the counters between Bobby and Sam, smirking, “If you want, but I won’t say yes again.” 

    Dean laughed and put their daughter on his hip. “Yeah, I don’t care about Bernice. I can take her.” 

    Kat kissed Sam’s cheek before looking at her and Dean’s birthstones around the diamond, “You ready to have me as your sister-in-law?” 

    Sam grinned. “Definitely. The real question is, are you guys going to have a huge wedding with doves, butterflies, and sparkles? Or are you going to elope so that Lyra and Bernice can’t hijack your wedding?” 

    Dean and Kat shuddered before answering at the same time, “Elope.”


	58. Wedding

    Kat and Dean stood in their backyard in front of Eddy, smiling as he pronounced them man and wife. Dean leaned forward and kissed her softly on her lips as their family and few friends cheered. They had decided to get married before Dawn’s first birthday and only to invite people who would be happy for them. 

    Liz, David, Kelly, Ashlyn, Castiel, Sam, and Bobby stood behind them, laughing and cheering as they signed the marriage certificate. Dawn was in Bobby’s arms, her fingers tangled in his beard as she took in the scene around her. Kat and Dean walked down the small aisle, hugging their friends and family. 

    They went to Lore afterward to celebrate and have a small reception with their other friends and family members. Lyra and Bernice refused their invitations and, while Kat was hurt by their refusal, she shrugged it off and enjoyed spending time dancing and talking with everyone else. 

    That night, Bobby and Sam watched Dawn so that they could have a short honeymoon at a local hotel. They had fallen into bed within minutes of the room’s door closing, clothes being pulled off quickly. Kat groaned when her phone went off in her pants. 

    Dean’s hands held her bare hips to the bed, “No phones.” 

    “It’s my reminder for my birth control pill.” 

    He let her go and rubbed his hand through his hair, “Oh.” 

    She padded, naked, over to her pants and turned the alarm off before walking to their overnight bag and finding her pills. “Unless you want me to go off of them, I need to take it.” 

    He shrugged and laid on his back on the bed, “I told you it was your choice.” 

    “I don’t care either way. We’re married now, and I wouldn’t hate the idea of another baby now that Dawn is about to be one in a month. She’ll be almost two, maybe older, by the time the baby was born.” 

    Dean sat up and smirked, “I don’t hate the idea either. I say, fuck the pill. Let’s take our chances.” 

    She smiled at him and threw the pills behind her before climbing onto the bed and straddling his hips. “Maybe it’ll be another girl.” 

    He brushed her raven hair from her shoulder, her father’s ring glinting in the low lighting on his left ring finger. She had given it to him so long ago and now he wore it as his wedding ring. She smiled and grasped his hand with her left, their wedding rings catching the light and shining, her thin wedding band nestled against her engagement ring. 

    He pushed his hips up, his tip rubbing between her folds and over her clit, “Boy or girl, doesn’t matter to me. I’m happy to have kids with my badass wife.”


	59. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T/W: Talk of Rape in the second half of chapter!

    A hand roamed over Katherine’s hip, and she grabbed it, pulling it to her stomach. Dean’s chuckle sounded against her hair. “Dean! I want to sleep. We have everyone coming over today for Dawn’s birthday, and I’m going to need some rest to deal with my family.” 

    He intertwined his fingers with hers, “Baby, it’s almost eleven in the morning. We need to shower and get ready. But I would love to help you wake up fully.” 

    She giggled as he brushed her hair from her neck and left an open-mouthed kiss under her ear. “I’m already awake, and my legs are still sore from last night’s attempt to put me to sleep.” 

    She felt his grin stretch over his face against her neck, “It worked though. You slept like a baby.” 

    “Be that as it may, it'll take an hour for both of us to shower,” She said as his hand slid down her stomach to cup her sex. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach, “Because someone feels handsy today and I’m going to have to fight you off with a stick.” 

    He chuckled, “That still leaves us some time, sweetheart.” 

    His hand started to move up to her breast, and she grabbed it, holding it to her stomach, “And then there is the hour it takes for me to get dressed, do my hair and makeup, and get Dawn ready so that we can look beautiful today. All while you try to grab my ass, pull my clothes back off, or distract me with kisses that you know will have me begging for you to touch me.” 

    “Katie, you and Dawn are always beautiful.” His kissed down her neck before using the hand trapped against her belly to pull her against him, his hips rocking against her backside as his cock slipped between her thighs and rubbed against her folds. “And we can skip the foreplay, and you can let me make love to my wife.” 

    She bit her lip as he pressed himself against her wet folds, his erection slipping between them quickly. “I want to, but I’m worried we’ll still be setting up as people arrive.” 

    He shook his head, “Sam texted me. He and Bobby are already setting up, and he said to get some extra sleep while we can. I say we skip the sleep.” 

    His hand escaped hers, and he grabbed her hips, tilting them until he could press against her entrance. She whimpered and slid her hand down her body, touching the soft skin of his cock. He groaned against her shoulder and trailed wet kisses over it. Her fingers slid down his shaft and back up before pushing the tip into her, making them both quietly moan. 

    Dean pushed into her further, his hand cupping her breast. She reached behind her and grabbed his hip, pulling him deeper into her. She moaned as his hand pinched her nipple and he thrust in and out of her, his tip pressing against the sweet spot inside of her.

    His pace was slow, and she moved her hips with his, groaning “Honey, faster.” 

    His hand slid from around her and settled between her shoulder blades, making her bend down a little. He gripped her hip and thrust into her hard, his hand pulling her onto him. She let out a throaty moan, and he quickened his pace, her hips moving with him as he pulled and thrust quickly. She could feel the heat from her skin settle hard into her belly. 

    Dean bent down and kissed and nipped at her shoulder blade before he groaned and pulled out of her, pushing her onto her back and rolling on top of her. He quickly thrust back into her as he pulled her knees up. She mewled under him as his hips slapped against hers with each quick thrust. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down to her lips, his hands bracing him against the bed. 

    Her lips crashed against his, their lips parting and tongues twisting together. His fast pace was making Kat’s breath come in short bursts as his hips slapped against hers. His free hand slipped between them and swirled around her clit, making her moan loudly as she wrapped her legs around his hips. 

    Gripping his shoulders, she kissed his neck, biting the skin under his ear. Dean moaned loudly as she left a wet kiss on the mark. His finger moved even faster, and she arched against him, the fire in her belly pulsing with each thrust of his hips and movement of his fingers. 

    He pulled her lips to his, the kiss deep and full of passion. His lips moved with hers, and his tongue darted in to tease hers before retreating. Kat moaned into the kiss as he pushed deeper into her, his hips grinding against her. She lightly scratched down his back, grabbing his hip and pulling him as he slowed his thrusts. Dean used his thumb to rub against her clit as he leaned back, changing his angle and making his tip drag over her sweet spot. 

    Her head kicked back, and she moaned loudly as her orgasm pulsed through her. Dean’s moan as he released was low and long. His thrusts slowed to a stop, and he rolled them until they were laying on their sides again, Kat’s head laying on his arm. 

    Kat giggled and kissed his nose. “I love quickies. Shower time, sir.” 

    Dean chuckled and gave her a quick peck, before climbing out of bed. “Yes, ma’am.” 

    They both took a shower and got out quickly, going to their closet and finding clothes as Kat whined, “Are you sure we can’t bar Bernice and Lyra from coming? I know that sounds mean, but they love to ruin things and make drama, and I don’t want to deal with that on Dawn’s first birthday!” 

    He pulled his jeans on and laughed, “You want me to deal with them?” 

    She sighed, pulling a light green dress on, “Maybe, but you should be able to have fun today, too.” 

    “Oh, I will. I’ve wanted to have a chat with those two.” 

    Kat finished pulling on her white flats and kissed his cheek before leaving to go to Dawn’s room. Liz’s husband, David, had renovated Kat’s old weapons room into a nursery for Dawn. It was done in neutral tones, with splashes of purple behind her crib. 

    Dawn was standing in her crib, holding onto the railing, when Kat walked in. Kat cooed to her daughter and picked her up and taking her to the changing table. She put a new diaper on her and found Dawn’s birthday dress hanging on the side, pulling it onto the wriggling baby. 

    “Are you excited for your birthday, Dawn? Everyone is coming, and they are going to celebrate your first trip around the sun.” 

    Dawn clapped and squealed, “Mamama!” 

    Kat laughed and picked her up, the light green dress pooling on her arm. She took her out to the den and used a baby brush on her light brown hair. Kat sat in her armchair with Dawn on her lap, facing her and smiled as Dawn wriggled and danced in her lap. Dawn’s eyes were steadily changing. The once dove grey eyes were now more light green with streaks of grey around the edges. 

     Kat sighed, “You are going to look like your daddy.” 

    She heard Dean laugh from the bedroom before he walked into the den and kissed the top of Dawn’s head. “Let’s hope she doesn’t act like me. We’ll have hell in her teenage years.” 

    She groaned, “PLEASE! Take after your mommy. I was a good kid until I turned eighteen. Then all bets were off.” 

    He laughed, fixing the buttons on his green dress shirt.  “Hey! Once she’s eighteen, she’s the world's problem.” 

    Kat smirked at him, raising an eyebrow, “Until she comes home from her first hunt with a broken arm and a gash across her ribs.” 

    He groaned, “No! No hunting! Not allowed for my little princess.” 

    Kat shrugged, “That’s close to what my mother said. It only pushed me to want to do it more. And I did come home to Bobby’s with a sizable gash across my ribs and a broken arm. He was not enthused.” 

    Dean shook his head, “You know what kid, take after Uncle Sammy and go to Stanford. Don’t drop out.” 

    She laughed and hugged her daughter, “Or go to Bradley like Aunt Kelly and Uncle Gary.” 

   He looked shocked, “Wait, yeah! Be like them! Then we don’t have to worry about hunting.” 

    Kat sighed and went out to join the rest of their family in the backyard, taking Dawn with her. Dean followed behind, telling Dawn over Kat’s shoulder about the benefits of not being a hunter and making Kat laugh. 

    Sam jogged over and took Dawn from Kat’s arms, swinging her around, “There’s my gorgeous niece!” 

    Dawn smiled widely and clapped her hands, “Ammy!” 

    Sam hugged her close before Bobby came over and rubbed her head, “Someday you’ll get that S in there, little girl. Now come here and give me a hug.” 

    Sam handed her over as she giggled and tugged at Bobby’s beard, “Pappy! Pappy! Pappy!” 

    Bobby’s smile was huge as he turned and carried her away, telling her, “Yeah, I’m your Pappy, little girl. Now quick tuggin’ the beard.” 

    Dawn’s party had gone perfectly. Dean had pulled Lyra and Bernice aside the second they arrived, Sam, Castiel, Bobby, and Nicole standing with them. Kat didn’t know what he said, but they were kind and loving to Dawn anytime she walked over to them, and though they ignored Kat, she didn’t mind at all. 

    Dawn received lots of gifts, toys, books, clothes, and mementos. Dean and Kat had gotten her a small leather jacket for her to wear that fall and a musical table where she could stand and play. Sam gave her a book of children’s stories for him to read to her at night and Bobby gave her a stuffed car that looked like Kat’s Cheshire. 

...

    A couple of weeks later, Dean, Kat, and Sam left on a hunt. Ashlyn and Nicole stayed with Dawn at their house, so that Dawn could sleep in her own bed. It was Kat’s first hunt since Dawn was born and she was excited to get back on her feet. Dean was unhappy the whole trip, not wanting the mother of his child and his wife out fighting monsters. Kat brushed his worries off. 

    They all knew the guys needed another hunter in on the hunt and Nicole was quitting hunting to start a family with her fiance Eric. She was going to help other hunters with research, but not go into the field again. Kat was the only other female hunter they knew that was close by and could help. 

    The werewolf they were looking for was targeting single women with black hair. Kat had balked at taking off her wedding rings, but Dean had comforted her before sliding them into his jeans. Kat had dressed in jeans and a crop top, trying to blend in with the crowd at the college where they were hunting. 

    She drove over to the college in Narcissa while Dean and Sam followed in the Impala. She parked and walked through the campus, trying to find the young man that had called them about the case. William Breve was the boyfriend of one of the victims, and he had been helping them track the creature’s kills. 

    Kat turned a corner and saw Will talking to a man with medium length, blonde hair. His appearance struck Kat as odd, but she couldn’t put a finger on what it was that was ringing an alarm bell. His dress shirt was pressed, as were his slacks. He stood with his back to her as she walked towards them and William pointed to her. 

    The man turned around as she reached them and Kat gasped, recognizing him. “Alan? What are you doing here?” 

    Her ex looked her over, “Wow, Katherine. You look very different from the girl I knew. But to answer you, I’m visiting my brother.” 

    She stopped short of the men and stared at him, “I thought you weren’t allowed on school campuses?” 

     He shrugged, “No problems here.” He closed the gap between them, standing a foot away and grinning, “So, pregnant, huh? How far along are you?” 

     Kat blinked, confused as she looked at her toned stomach. “I’m not pregnant.” 

    He paused a moment before he nodded, “I see, I must have been mistaken. You seem to have a little bit of a belly, and I just figured it was that or you were letting yourself go.” 

    William stepped up and put a hand on Kat’s shoulder, “Well, I’m sorry, Mr. Richards. We need to get going.” 

     Alan stared at her before grinning, “Hope to see you again. I always enjoyed our time together, Kit.” 

    She suppressed the shiver that threatened to run down her spine at the old nickname. “Hope you enjoyed your time in jail, Alan. Hopefully, next time the person you rape will kill you.” 

     Alan laughed and started to say something, but Will pulled her away quickly, “He raped someone?” 

     “Several someones.” She let the space between them and Alan stretch further before she stopped him. “Look, you need to stay away from him. He’s dangerous and has no problem hurting people to get his way.” 

    William nodded, and something occurred to her, “Will, how long has Alan been here?” 

    “Three weeks. He…” He paused, his eyes widening, “He showed up here about a week before the first girl went missing.” 

    Kat groaned, “We need to call Dean and Sam. We might have just found our shithead.”


	60. Torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T/W: Talk of Rape in the chapter!

     They filled Sam and Dean in on the conversation Kat had with Alan at the hotel. Dean was shaking with anger when he found out Alan was on campus. Sam and he had lost sight of her when she went into one of the buildings, and they had gone back to their car to wait for her after searching.

    Kat had gotten to the comment about her stomach when Dean punched a wall, “Damn! I should have been there! I woulda punched him in his freaking face.” 

    She sighed, “It was fine, honey. It didn’t bother me. It was weird. I mean, my stomach isn’t swollen at all.” 

    Sam cleared his throat and rubbed the side of his neck. “Well, if he is the werewolf like you think, then he might have smelled it on you.” 

    Dean and Kat shared a look, before she replied, “Well, it’s a possibility. Should I run out and get a test?” 

    “If you want to go back out there, you better. And if you are, you’re confined to the hotel.” Dean growled.

    She raised her eyebrow at him, “You gonna tie me up, Big Boy? Because that’s the only way I’m staying in here. Dawn survived that demon riding me. I’m sure this one could....” She paused and groaned. “Look, I’m going to get a test before we start a fight that might not even need to happen.” 

    She grabbed her keys and walked out the door, hearing Will comment before the door close, “Did she call him Big Boy?”

... 

    Kat groaned when the results popped on another stick.She tried to think of a way to hide it from Dean, but she didn’t want to lie to him. 

    She walked into the main room holding the three tests she took. “Well, Dean. You ready for that fight?” 

    Dean looked up from her laptop, his eyes wide, “You’re pregnant?” 

    She nodded, and he laughed and threw her computer on the bed as he jumped up, hugging her. “Hell yeah! Dawn’s going to be a big sister.” 

    Sam looked up from his computer and laughed, “Dean, you did hear her say she was going to fight you, right?” 

    Dean groaned, stepping back, “Katie, you can’t go out there pregnant. What if you get hurt? It could kill the baby.” 

    “Honey, Dawn survived a demon squeezing my insides. I think this little one can handle me running around and playing bait.” 

     “And what if Alan takes you before Sam and I can get to you? What if he decides your heart sounds like a delicious dinner? The baby won’t survive that.” 

    She smiled and touched his cheek. “More reason for you two to not let me out of your sights.” He opened his mouth to argue, and she cut him off, “Yes, I know accidents happen, but I also know that if I don’t help, you’ll never catch Alan. He’s supposed to be in jail for another ten years, and he’s out wandering the streets and a werewolf now. He’s slick, and I need to see him put down for good.”

    Dean sighed, “I know that you want to see that, but I need to know my wife and children are safe. I’ll be too focused on you to pay attention to anything else. If you’re here, I’ll be able to keep my eyes on Alan without worrying about what you’re doing.” 

    "Dean, I don't WANT to see him dead. I NEED to see it. He tore me apart, and I have to know he's gone.

    Her husband huffed, his head rolling back on his shoulders before he kissed her forehead. "I know, and I can send you proof, but I can't have you out there."

    Kat groaned, “Fine! But you owe me, and I get to decide what your repayment is going to be.” 

    Dean grinned and gave her a quick peck, “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll give you whatever you want so long as you stay here while we’re gone.” 

    Kat grumbled under her breath, so the other men wouldn’t hear her, “Fine. No torture for the next month.” 

    Dean stiffened, his voice thick and quiet, “Torture?” 

    She nodded, pulling him into the bathroom to talk privately. “Yes. You know, making me wait to have you inside of me while you take your time with my body. Sometimes it’s fun, and I don’t mind it, but sometimes I want you right away.” 

    She noticed his jaw flex, confusion filling her. “That’s torture to you?” 

    “Yeah! Especially when you’ve been away for a long time!” 

    Dean turned away from her, his hand in his hair. “Wow. Yeah, okay. If that’s what you want, but can you not call it torture?” 

    She put her hand on his shoulder, “Why?” 

    He groaned, “Katie, you know what I had to do in Hell. I told you about it months ago. Don’t want to hear you say I’m torturing you when all I’m doing is enjoying some time with you.” 

    Kat sighed, “Okay, I get that, but you know what you did in Hell isn’t what I’m talking about.” 

    He turned back to her, glaring, “But that doesn’t change anything. I hate hearing you call me making love to you, torture.” He threw open the door before she could say anything, “Let’s go, Sam.”


	61. Hurt

    Dean and Sam left, leaving her to hang out with Will while they hunted down Alan. Kat called Liz, Nicole, and Ashlyn to check on Dawn and let them know about the tests. They were all excited for her and Dean to become parents again and Liz agreed to call Dr. Marc in the morning to set her up another appointment to have the pregnancy confirmed. 

    Kat hung up when her phone went off a few hours later. She checked it to see a picture of Alan on the ground, a bullet wound to his chest and another through his forehead. She sighed and messaged Dean back, thanking him for the proof. 

    She felt terrible for being relieved that Alan was dead. She remembered how sweet his mother had been to her. How proud his father was of him when he brought home a good report card. The way his little brother had looked up to him. 

    Kat felt the tears flow down her cheeks and she felt silly. She knew that was the old Alan. That was before he had started beating her and before he had raped her and left her bleeding on his bed. She remembered the look on his mother’s face when she had found Kat bleeding in her son’s room. The shock and fear had terrified Kat, knowing she was so severely beaten that this brave nurse would be so scared for her. His mother had screamed for his father before jumping on the bed and applying pressure to the worst of her injuries as his father came into the room. 

    His dad had taken her to the ER, who did a rape kit and stitched her wounds. Later, her mother would show up and start her work in convincing the police that it was consensual. Alan’s family had believed her though. They had seen their son’s temper before, but never to the magnitude that he had taken out on her. 

    Kat was pulled from her memories as Will cleared his throat and dangled a tissue in front of her face. “So how did you know Mr. Richards? From the way your husband acted, I take it it wasn’t a happy meeting.” 

    She sighed and blotted her face with the tissue, “Alan and I dated when I was younger. H-He abused me.” 

    “Damn, I’m sorry.” 

    “Not your fault. He was a horrible human being, and I can’t believe some werewolf decided to turn him. Not exactly a smart move on their part. He drew a lot of attention to this area.” 

    “Maybe he was the only one here?” 

    “Were’s hunt in packs. It’s pretty rare to have a lone wolf in their society. Hopefully, the guys will find the rest of his pack and take them out too.” 

    Will shrugged, “They seem like they know what they are doing. I’m sure they’ll find them.” 

    Nodding, she grabbed her phone when it went off again. 

 _Sam: Kat! Dean’s hurt. Need you and Will to head over and help me out with him. Pack’s dead.”_  

    Kat jumped off the bed, grabbing her keys and medical kit before telling Will to follow her. Her heart was thudding in her chest, and she was terrified that her last words to her husband would be a fight over something so silly. They got into Narcissa and rushed to the address Sam had given them. When Kat and Will arrived, they could see the Impala parked in front of a barn. Kat told Will to stay in the car and rushed to the barn, throwing the door open. 

    There were bodies scattered around the room. Kat counted five in all. She rushed over to Sam, who was kneeling, shirtless next to Dean. Dean’s thigh had large gashes across it, and Sam was holding pressure on it. Kat opened her kit and told Sam to pull the shirt off of the wound before she poured a bottle of wound wash over the cuts. Sam grabbed clean gauze and held it to the injury as Kat found her suture kit. 

    Dean groaned when Kat started suturing, Sam running outside to sit with Will, “Do you have to be so rough?” 

    Kat grumbled, her anger like a fire in her belly. “Stop being a baby. Dawn didn’t complain this much when she got her leg stitched up after that incident with the wrench.” 

    Dean winced and growled, “Yeah? Well, they numbed her leg. You didn’t even bring whiskey to help me deal with this shit.” 

    Kat glared at him. “You want me to stop stitching you up and give you a shot of something? You’ll have to stay the night in this barn then.” 

    Dean sighed, “No, just hurry up, please!” 

    She stared at him, flabbergasted, before starting to stitch again. “Nope, I’m going to take my sweet precious time. Make sure you feel every inch of the thread pulling through your thigh.” 

    He groaned, “Please, Katie. This fucking sucks.” 

    “Of course, I’m going to hurry as much as I can, Dean! I’m not a sadist!” 

    “Why are you so upset right now?” 

    She growled, “I don’t know. My husband, the father of my children, is lying, hurt, on the floor of a dirty barn, surrounded by dead werewolves, bitching about sutures he needs immediately.  Let me get my confetti and some streamers. I need to party.” 

    He groaned, “Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that.” 

    “Here, I am. Apparently pregnant; with another kid at home, who is waiting for her daddy and mommy to come home; and her dad decides, Mom can’t go on the hunt because it would be too dangerous. But he ends up bleeding on the fucking floor. Again, need streamers and confetti.” 

    He growled, “I said I’m sorry, but I won’t say that I should have let you come with.” 

    Kat glared at him before finishing his sutures. “I could have helped. There were five of them. Three of us could have done this easily.” 

    “If you weren’t pregnant! I would have been too distracted if you were here and one of us could have died.” 

    “One of us almost did! I could have had your backs. I came on this hunt to help. Not sit in a room and constantly worry while trying to entertain a grieving man, which I was terrible at doing. If I had known this is what my first hunt back was going to be like, I would have stayed home!” 

    She got up and pulled him to his feet, pulling his arm over her shoulder and helping him leave the barn. “Son of a… Okay, I get it. Can you stop yelling at me now?” 

    She settled him in the backseat of her Prius, giving him a shot of Toradol and pulling his keys out of his pocket before tossing them to Sam. “Take William in Baby. He doesn’t need to hear Dean and I argue.” 

    Sam nodded and Will followed him to Dean’s car as Kat got into hers. “Dean. You are as important to this family as Dawn and I am, as this baby will be. Don’t you dare act like just because I’m pregnant, you wouldn’t have tried to keep me out of this hunt. You’re my husband! I know you pretty well. Though you are who I just argued with over something as silly as a word!” 

    She watched him in the back window as he shifted his hurt leg across the back seat and stared out the window. “Okay, Look! It’s not just a silly word. It was not a walk in the fucking park for me. And yes, I probably would have tried to keep you out of this fight. But that doesn’t mean anything. I know how hard it is to grow up without a mother…” 

    Kat cut him off there, “I know how hard it is to live without a father! But we’re both hunters and it comes with the territory that our lives will always be in danger. The sooner you realize that, the sooner we can get on with the lives we have.” 

    Dean stared at her in the mirror. “Can you stop calling it torture then? I mean it, Katie. I hate hearing that word coming from your mouth.” 

    She sighed and started her car, her head dropping to the steering wheel. “Okay, Dean. I’m sorry for saying that to you. I should have thought it through first. I will do my best not to repeat it until you tell me it’s okay.”


	62. Baby

    Katherine was almost to the end of her second pregnancy and hoping it would end soon. Her belly looked like she was smuggling a beach ball under her skin and she couldn’t get out of bed or a chair without someone’s help. At thirty-six weeks, Kat had already lasted longer than she had with Dawn and the doctor’s were breathing a sigh of relief. She, however, wasn’t. 

    Dean and Sam were due back from a hunt any day now, and she was hoping they would make it back before the baby decided it was time to greet the world. They had chosen not to find out what it was, both Dean and her wanting a pleasant surprise for once. 

    They had bought everything in neutral colors, lots of yellow, beiges, browns, blacks, and whites. The nursery was redone, the purples painted over with greens and Dawn had been moved to a toddler bed to free up the crib. It had taken two weeks for Dawn to stop trying to climb into the crib at naptime and bedtime when she wasn’t crawling into bed with Sam or Kat and Dean. 

    Kat had cleaned the clothing for the baby and packed a hospital bag weeks ago. Her sister, Kelly, Liz, and Ashlyn had been staying with her off and on since Dean and Sam had left two weeks ago. She didn’t know how Kelly and Liz were able to stay as they did. They had families of their own, but the women also had terrific husbands that picked up the slack in their absence. 

    Kat laid on her left side on the couch, watching the baby flip over inside of her. She couldn’t get over the strange feeling and sight of the tiny human moving under her skin. She had the same feelings while pregnant with Dawn. Kat called both of them giant snakes or aliens whenever they moved, and she could see it. Dean hated the nicknames until he saw it himself. That day, he had taken to calling it the same thing. 

    Dawn came toddling over to her mother, laying her hand over the baby as it moved and shouted, “No, Baby! Stop move. You hurt Mommy!” 

    Kat laughed and ran her fingers through her daughter’s thick, dirty blonde hair, “Baby isn’t hurting me, Dawn. It’s just a little uncomfortable when it sticks its feet under my ribs.” 

    Dawn frowned, “Otay!” 

    Kat watched her daughter go back to playing, pretending to feed a babydoll with a toy car, while Ash finished cleaning the kitchen, “It’s nice that your little one cares so much. My sister’s kid stares or laughs when someone gets hurt.” 

    Katherine laughed, feeling her stomach tighten, “She’s like her Aunt Kelly. Maybe she’ll be a nurse like her.” 

    Ash smiled and sat by Kat’s feet, “Maybe.” 

    Kat gasped as her stomach tightened again, “Ow! What the hell?” 

    Ash jumped up and knelt in front of her, “Everything okay?” 

    Her stomach relaxed, and she sighed, “Maybe it’s just a Braxton Hicks. I’ve had them for a while.” 

    “I thought those didn’t hurt.” 

    “Usually they don’t. It might be a contraction. Let's wait and see.” 

    Twenty minutes later, Kat’s stomach contracted again, making her groan, “Fuck! Okay, maybe not Braxton.” 

    She watched the clock as Ash ran to pack up the car. After a couple of hours, the contractions were ten minutes apart, and Kat called the doctor while Ash loaded Dawn in the car. They told her to head to the hospital and to keep timing her contractions. She called Dean while she waddled out to the car. 

    “Hey, beautiful. How are my girls?” 

    “Oh, Dawn is great, but I’m in labor.” 

    Kat heard tires squeal and Sam curse in the background, “What?! Already?” 

    “Yes! I’m heading to the hospital now. Please tell me you are close to home.” 

    “About a couple hours away. Sam take my phone and put it on speaker.” 

    She heard muffled noises until Sam said hi. “Hi, Sam. Ash, Dawn, and I are in the car heading to the… FUCK!” She dropped her phone as an intense contraction hit. Ash picked it up and put it on speaker, setting it in a cupholder. 

    “Why did she say fuck?! What the hell is going on, Kat?” 

    Ash answered as Kat tried to breathe, “She’s having a contraction. Not the easiest time to talk from what I remember of Dawn’s birth. I put you on speaker in the cupholder.” 

    Dawn giggled from the back and yelled, “FUCK!” 

    Dean groaned, “Great, and now the kid is cussing. Sweetheart, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” 

    Kat groaned as the contraction let up, “Okay, Dean. Ash, can you keep him updated until he gets here?” 

    “I will. Talk to you guys later. I need to focus on the road.” 

    Kat hung up the phone as Ash turned out of the neighborhood. They made it to the hospital quickly, Ash taking every shortcut she could. The nurses rushed her up to labor and delivery while Ash and Dawn went to the waiting room. Kelly was waiting for her to arrive and followed the nurse wheeling Kat back. 

    It took Dean five hours to get there. By that point, Kat was eight centimeters dilated, with only two more to go and enjoying her epidural. The pressure of the contractions was getting stronger, and she had to focus on her breathing even harder when they hit. Dean ran into the room, kissing Kat on the cheek before throwing his bag on the armchair in the corner. She groaned when another contraction hit and Dean held her hand, murmuring to her and brushing her hair out of her face. 

    “I’m sorry it took so long, Katie. Traffic outside of Chicago was horrible, and I couldn’t find a way around it.” 

    She nodded as her doctor came in to check her and break her waters. “Okay, Mrs. Winchester. We’re going to wait out this contraction, then break your waters. That should get you over this stall and get you pushing.” 

    She nodded again, and the doctor set up. The contraction ended, and he popped her bag of waters before cursing and calling for the nurse. There was a flurry of movement and Kat screamed when she felt the pressure from the doctor pushing his hand into her. 

    Dean squeezed her hand, “What’s happening?” 

    A nurse pulled him away as several others filed into the room, “Your baby’s cord has come down into the birth canal, and the baby’s head clamped down on it. The doctor has to release the pressure on the cord and is doing so by holding its head off of the cord. We need to get her back to surgery though. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll get you ready to join her in the operating room? I’m Nurse Mandy, btw.” 

     Dean looked shocked, and Kat squeezed his hand as tears rolled down her face, “Go, Dean! Hurry!” 

    The nurses began prepping her as they kicked the wheels loose and the doctor jumped on the bed, his hand still holding the baby up and off the cord. Dean let go of her hand and followed the nurse out before she was wheeled down the hall quickly. They got her into the operating room and gave her more medication through her epidural. The nurse from before rushed Dean in and sat him by Kat’s head. He was dressed in a blue jumpsuit, booties, and a cloth head cover. She wanted to tease him, but she was too worried about the baby. 

    The doctor removed his hand and immediately started the Cesarean. It took him three minutes to get the baby out and to cut its cord. Kat began to crying harder when the baby didn’t make a sound. 

    “Is the baby okay?” 

    Dr. Marc sighed, “Your baby is a little poorly right now. The nurses are going to check him over and send him to the NICU.” 

    “Him?! It’s a boy,” Dean asked.

    Dr. Marc chuckled as the baby let out a yell, “Oh, yeah. He’s a boy.” 

    Nurse Mandy came over and touched Dean’s shoulder, “Would you like to go with us while we get him checked over? Your wife is in good hands now.” 

    Dean looked conflicted as he stared at Kat, “Go with our boy, Dean. I’m fine, and he needs his daddy.” 

    He nodded and kissed her forehead, rushing out with the nurse. Dr. Marc talked to Kat as he worked on her, telling her that her son should be fine and that the pediatrician was already on site. She tried to feel relieved, but she was still worried about her little boy. 

    Dr. Marc came around the curtain blocking her view with a towel wrapped around his gloved hands, “We had talked about tying your tubes in a few months. Now would be a very opportune moment, since you are already open. Would you be interested in doing that? We can call your husband back, and we can talk to him about it, but I’d rather not leave you open longer than necessary. I know you signed papers agreeing, but it’s best to check first.” 

    “Do it now. Dean already agreed with me about doing it. Two is enough for us.” 

    “Are you sure you don’t want to ask?” 

    “Positive. We talked about the idea of having to have a C-section last time we saw you. He was there when we talked about it being easier to tie them when you are already having one. He’ll be fine with it.” 

    The doctor nodded again and went behind the curtain. A nurse came over and squeezed her shoulder, talking to her about Dawn and Dean as the doctor worked. When he was done, he sutured her closed and nurses came forward to help bandage her. The curtain was pulled down, and they prepped her to be moved to recovery. 

    As she was being moved, Nurse Mandy came down the hall, following her and telling her about her son. “He’s a big guy! Weighs in at almost eight pounds and he’s twenty-two inches long. You’re husband said that’s how long your daughter was at birth?” 

    Kat smiled and nodded, “She was born at thirty-five weeks and was that long, but she was only five and a half pounds. How’s my boy doing?” 

    Mandy smiled, “Great! They have him on oxygen at the moment, but they are already talking about taking him off. He’s a tough guy. I’m hoping they will let you see him within a few hours. You both have some recovering to do.” 

    Katherine nodded as her body started shaking, “Okay, but why am I shaking?” 

    Another nurse answered, “It’s the after-effects of the anesthesia. It shouldn’t last long, but we’ll pack warm blankets around you once we get you settled.”


	63. Son

    It took the doctor four hours to agree to let Kat see her son. Dean came down to see her in recovery before she sent him back to their boy. Once they put her in her own room, the doctor came in and checked her over before letting Dean bring down the baby. 

    Kat was sitting semi-upright when he came in with the bassinet. Kat could see the baby bundled up through the glass walls and she tried to sit up before a nurse rushed over and scolded her. She helped her sit upright as Dean locked the wheels on the bassinet and picked up their son. 

    Kat reached for him, and Dean smiled widely, “Meet our boy, Katie.” 

    She took the baby and cradled him to her chest, her heart soaring as the baby opened his eyes and made small noises. “He’s so handsome!” 

    She pulled the hat partway off his head and laughed, Dean joining in, “He has his mom’s hair and eyes for now.” 

    “I finally got my raven-haired baby!” She kissed his head and pulled the hat down. “What are we going to name him? We had names for a girl, but never settled on one for a boy.” 

    Dean sat on the edge of the bed and Kat scooted over, making room for him to sit next to her. “I don’t know, sweetheart. He doesn’t look like a John, and I think Samuel would be weird since Dawn’s middle name is Samantha.” 

    She watched the baby stretch and yawn, “What about Robert? Robert Jonathan?” 

    Dean watched the baby and smiled, “I like that. But what are we going to call him? Two Bobbys would be confusing.” 

    “Robby or Rob would work.” 

    Dean nodded, “Rob works for me. Robert Jonathan Winchester. Goes well with Dawn Samantha.” 

... 

    Bobby came to the hospital the next day to meet his namesake. He smiled and held the baby to his chest, cooing to him when he started fussing. 

    The older man had tears in his eyes when he looked at Kat and Dean, “You guys sure you wanna give him my name?” 

    Kat smiled. “Absolutely, Uncle Bobby. You’ve helped me my whole life.” 

    Dean chuckled, “Yeah, old man. You’ve been like a dad to Sam and me.” 

    Bobby wiped his eyes on his sleeve, “Ah, balls. You guys are gonna make me cry.” 

    She laughed, “You already are, Uncle Bobby.” 

    Bobby waved her off and sat on the armchair, rocking with Rob. Dawn had met Rob earlier in the day, giving him lots of kisses and patting him on the head, calling him “Bwudda.” Dean had hugged her close and kissed her cheeks, telling her how cute she was. Sam and Kelly had come in with Dawn, and they were both enamored with the little guy. 

    Kat was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She had a wonderful husband, two beautiful children, and a family that loved her unconditionally. While Lyra and Bernice would always be a sore spot in the picture, everything else was turning out great. 

...

    They had a welcome party for Rob when he was ten weeks old. At two and a half months, he was ready to meet the rest of his family and Kat was healed from her surgery. Everyone came to their house to hold Rob and congratulate them on their son. A few people brought gifts, even though they weren’t asked to and Robby got some new blue clothes and blankets and a stuffed Impala from his Pappy Bobby. 

    Rob had slept through most of the party, only waking up to feed or to have his diaper changed. Kat had breastfed him or let Dean or Bobby feed him from a bottle when he was hungry. Dean had taken care of the diapers, still worried about Kat after having surgery. 

    She had told him while in recovery that they had tied her tubes and he was happy to have that surgery out of the way so that they could continue with their lives without the worry of more children. At the party, Taylor, Kat’s brother Gary’s wife, had informed Dean that the baby she was carrying was conceived after she had had hers tied. Dean’s face when she told him had sent Kat into a laughing fit. He had vowed right then and there to have a vasectomy, sending Sam into hysterics too. 

    That night, after Dean had settled the kids into their beds, he and Kat cuddled up into bed, talking about their kids. Robby was smiling at people now, and Dawn had started speaking more clearly and could kick a ball and get herself into a nightgown. 

    Dean was laying on his back, his arm under Kat’s head as she cuddled against him. “I can’t believe I have two kids and a wife. How the hell did that happen?” 

    Kat giggled, “Well, see. When two people really love each other…” 

    He laughed, “Oh, I know how THAT happened. I mean, I can’t believe it did. I always thought I’d die single and childless at the hands of some monster.” 

    She sighed and kissed his shoulder, “Let’s hope that never happens.” 

    He nodded, suddenly somber, “Maybe I should quit? I don’t want to leave you without a husband or our kids without a dad.” 

    She rubbed her hand over his chest, “I’ve always told you that that decision was yours to make. I’ll understand either way. I’d talk to Sam and Bobby about it, but I think they’d tell you to quit. I know I still want to help people, so I’d understand if you did too.” 

    He nodded, and his hand trailed down her side. “I don’t know what to do. I still feel like I should do more before I would be okay with quitting.” 

    She nodded, “Then keep hunting, Dean. Just try to come back to us.” 

    “I always do.”


	64. Infection

    Katherine waited until Rob was six months old before going on her first hunt since his birth. Dean and Sam had come with, and they were able to handle the vengeful ghost in six days. She was excited to get back to hunting, and she was happy that Dean was supporting her in the decision. After their talk when Robby was ten weeks old, he understood why she wanted to keep hunting, and he tried to keep both her and Sam safe whenever they went out. Kat did her best to keep herself safe, so Dean didn’t need to protect her. 

    Dean and Sam still went on hunts by themselves. Kat only came along when they thought they would need a third gun on a job. She enjoyed the alone time with the kids for the first couple days. After that, she was praying for the guys to come home and help. 

    When Rob was almost nine months old, and Dawn was officially two, Dean and Sam left on a hunt that sounded like an easy case. People were acting strangely. They would go from being kind souls with no enemies to people that were hurting others and not caring about it. The cops were at a loss and blamed it on an unknown drug, even though their toxicology reports were clean. The guys thought it was a spirit or demons. 

    Kat had Liz and her family come over a week after the brothers had left. Liz’s kids were playing with Dawn and Robby while the adults talked in the living room. When Kat’s phone went off in the evening, she thought nothing about it. She figured it was Dean calling to speak to her and the kids. 

    She answered it while laughing at a joke Liz had made, “Hey, honey. Liz just told the funniest joke.” 

    “Katie, we need your help,” Dean’s voice strained. 

    Kat held up a finger to Liz and stepped into Sam’s room, Liz following behind. She put him on speakerphone and closed the door. “What’s going on, Dean?” 

    “We’re waiting on a couple of hunters to get here, but something is going on, and we need more hands. We’re still in Virginia. It’s not a demon like we thought. It’s more like a virus. These people have red eyes, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was the Croatoan Virus from before.” 

    Kat shivered, “What can I do, honey?” 

    “We need more Holy Water, salt, and all the silver bullets you can scrounge up. Holy Water can show us who has the virus and salt has been effective in keeping these asshats at bay, but silver kills them. It’s like they are monster and demon hybrids.” 

    “Have you figured out how it’s spread?” 

    “Saliva. We’re sure of it. All the victims were bitten by a carrier.” 

    “I’ll bring everything I can find. Have Sam send me your coordinates, and I’ll get there as fast as I can once I find someone to keep an eye on the kids. I love you, Dean.” 

    “I love you too, Katie. I’ll see you soon.” 

    She hung up, and Liz cleared her throat, “Sounds serious. I’ll take the kids, and you head out. I’ll call Kelly, Ash, and Nicole. I’ll try to send Nicky to you guys and Kelly, Ash, and I will take care of the kids.” 

    Katherine hugged her friend, “Thank you, Lizzie. I appreciate this.” 

    Elizabeth patted her back, “It’s okay, woman. Now go help Dean and Sam.”


	65. Asylum

    Kat pulled up to the hotel Dean and Sam were using as an asylum for the people not infected a day later. She had grabbed all of her silver weapons, salt, and holy water before leaving in Beauty. She called Dean, and he came running out, letting her through the gate that blocked off the hotel from the main road. 

    He helped her bring everything in, introducing her to people as they walked by them. There were hundreds of people huddled into the small hotel. Dean and Sam filled her in on what had happened so far as she unpacked the bags of weapons, nodding as they talked. 

    Sam excused himself from the room after they had finished and Dean pulled her against him, hugging her tight. “I’m sorry I had to call you in. I didn’t know who else to call. Damon and Josh are finishing up a case in California and can’t get here until that one is finished.” 

    She kissed his cheek, “Nicky is on her way. Should be here later tonight. Eric was upset that we called her in, but once I explained the case to him, he was more than okay with her coming to help.” 

    He sighed and pressed his forehead to hers, “I hate asking her to come help. I know we need it, but she is supposed to be planning her wedding in two months, not coming to kill more monsters.” 

    Kat kissed him softly on the lips, “I know, honey. But she was glad to come help.” 

    He brushed his lips over hers before giving her a hard kiss, his lips demanding as they moved over hers. She grabbed the sides of his neck and held his face to hers as she parted her lips and brushed her tongue over his bottom lip. He groaned and his lips opened, his tongue dancing with hers as it slipped into his mouth. 

    His hands pushed her jacket off her shoulders and it fell to the ground before he grabbed her hips and walked her backward, stopping when her legs hit the bed. She pulled his work shirt off and dropped it on the ground, her hands moving to take his shirt off. He jerked his lips away from hers and yanked his shirt off before pulling hers off too and tossing it on top of his. Her bra, jeans, and panties came off next, followed by his jeans and boxer briefs until they were standing naked in front of each other, fingers caressing the others bare skin. 

    Dean kissed her neck, whispering against her skin, “Katie, I need you. It’s been too fucking rough out here and I need…” 

    His voice broke and Kat wrapped her arms around his waist, “I know, Dean.” She sat on the bed, scooting into the middle of it, “Come here.” 

    He climbed onto the bed, kissing up her legs and stomach as he crawled up her body. His hand held him over her as the other trailed up her side. He kissed her collarbone and neck before pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was soft, the love he put into it made her throat ache with tears. She put all the love she had for him into hers. His fingers trailed down her stomach to press against her folds. 

     He slid a finger between them, teasing her entrance before sliding up the rub her clit. Kat gasped and bucked her hips against his hand. She grabbed his shoulders, holding on as he slid his finger down, pressing into her, his thumb rubbing taking its place. Dean left open-mouthed kisses against her neck and shoulder, tongue sweeping over the skin at the junction. Kat moaned and rocked her hips against his hand and he slid a second finger into her.

    Dean kissed under her ear before nipping her earlobe, “Baby, I’m sorry but I need to be in you.” 

    She nodded, breathless as his hand drove her towards an orgasm. She knew he needed to feel connected to someone after the hard couple days he’d had. 

    He pulled his hand away from her, lining himself up and slowly pushing into her. She moaned and pulled him closer, softly kissing his shoulder and brushing her lips up his neck to his ear. She flicked her tongue over the lobe, sucking it into her mouth and letting her teeth graze over it. His breath hitched and he thrust the rest of the way into her, hips meeting in a quick slap. 

    Kat wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him close as he rocked in and out of her. His mouth sucked on the skin over her pulse, leaving a mark there before nipping at it. She moved her hips with his, a fire burning in her belly as he pressed into her again and again. She pulled his face to hers, lips meeting in a slow kiss. He moaned into the kiss, his hand sliding between them to draw circles around her clit. 

    She whimpered and pressed her forehead against his, feeling like she was slipping over the edge already. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over, putting her on top. She sat up and moved over him as his hands came up to cup her breasts, fingers teasing her nipples. Kat quietly moaned and leaned back, hands braced against his thighs as she rocked her hips on him. 

    He grabbed her hips and moaned, “Shit, Katie. Right there. Stay like that.” She bit her lip and kept going, watching him through half-lidded eyes. His hands squeezed her hips and his darkened eyes watched him slide in and out of her, “Damn, baby.” She grinned at him and swiveled her hips as she came down on him, making him moan. 

    His hands slid to her waist and pulled her chest to his, his lips pressing against hers before his teeth nibbled her bottom lip. He thrust hard into her and she mewled and braced herself on the bed, fingers clutching the sheets as he kept pushing harder and harder into her. His hand slipped between them and he rubbed against the small bundle of nerves between her folds, smiling as their breathing became labored. Dean moaned and his other hand slid under hers, fingers twining together as they moved. 

    Kat moaned loudly as she found her release and her back arched, pressing her chest against his. His fingers pulled away from her clit, arm wrapping around her to hold her close as he released deep inside her clenching body. She dropped her face into the crook of his neck, gasping as his movement stopped and he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her shoulder. 

    His fingers trailed up and down her spine and he nuzzled her neck, “Thank you, sweetheart.” 

    She giggled, feeling giddy. “Anytime, Hubby.” 

    He chuckled, his chest vibrating against hers, “I mean it, Katie. Thank you. The last week has sucked.” 

    She sat up, looking down at him, giving him a small smile, and squeezing his hand. “I meant it too, Dean. Anytime you need me; I’ll be there for you.”


	66. Team

    They had gotten into pajamas before texting Sam it was okay to come back. The three of them shared a room that night, Sam sleeping in a bed by himself as Kat and Dean cuddled in the other. 

    The next morning, Kat woke up early. She went to the bathroom and checked her phone. Nicole had texted to let her know she was there and was sleeping in a room by them. When she came out, she saw Sam sitting up in bed, his head in his hands. She went over to his bed, sitting next to him and wrapping an arm around his waist. 

    “You okay, Sam?” 

    He leaned against her and sighed, “I’m happy Dean has you because the last week hasn't been kind to him. He’s been taking people out to get supplies and to find people that aren’t infected. Every day, fewer people are found that are clean, and he loses at least one person to this damn virus. I’ve been trying to figure out where it’s from or if we can cure it, but… there’s nothing.” 

    She sighed and grabbed his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders before cuddling into his side. “We’ll figure it out, Sam. You’ve got your awesome sister-in-law here, and Nicole is here now too. The four of us can help these people. I’m sure of it.” 

    Sam hugged her shoulders, “I hope so.” 

    “Have you called Castiel?” 

    “Yeah, he’s not answering. Dean’s taking it pretty hard.” 

    Kat sighed, “Well, they do have something of a bromance brewing there. Nicky always jokes about me losing him to Cas.” 

    Sam chuckled, “Yeah, I can’t see Dean doing that.” 

    She shrugged, “You never know. Maybe he harbors latent homosexual tendencies.” 

    She heard Dean groan, “No! I don’t.” 

    She looked over to see him glaring at her from the other bed, “You sure, honey? You could pick a worse partner. At least Cas is handsome.” 

    Dean sat up in bed and flipped her off, “Hell no! I’m not interested in men, and you should know that, Katie.” 

    She giggled, “Well, weirder things have happened.” 

    Dean got out of their bed and sat next to Kat, arm wrapping around her waist, “Katie, I’m not going to leave you for Cas.” 

    Sam laughed, “How did we get on this subject?” 

    Kat smiled up at her brother-in-law, “Don’t question it. Enjoy how uncomfortable it makes Dean.” 

    Dean tickled her side, and she fell back giggling. Sam chuckled and tickled her other side, and Kat thrashed and kicked at them. They stopped when she was out of breath, both men laying back on either side of her. She smiled at both of them, enjoying the warmth coming off them. Dean lifted her head and slid his arm under it, his hand squeezing Sam’s shoulder. Kat reached over and held Sam’s hand before throwing her legs over Dean’s. 

    She giggled, “This is surprisingly comfortable. I got my best friend on one side and my husband on the other.” 

    Dean and Sam laughed. Kat smiled and closed her eyes. _This is family. The only things missing are the kids and Uncle Bobby._ They laid like that for a while, all of them falling asleep. 

    Kat woke up sometime later to a knock on the door. She extracted herself from the two men and climbed out of bed. When she opened the door, Nicky was on the other side. Kat stepped out and hugged her friend. 

    “How was the trip?” 

    Nicky sighed, “Long, but I’m glad I came. If I looked at one more table setting, I was going to go insane. Twenty! That damn wedding planner showed me twenty settings and asked me which I liked more. They all looked similar! I still don’t know what the difference was with half of them.” 

     “I’m suddenly glad Dean, and I decided on a backyard wedding.” 

    Nicole sighed, “So what can I help you guys with?” 

    Kat brought Nicky into their room, and they set up laptops, trying to find a possible cure for the virus wreaking havoc on the small town. Sam and Dean woke up an hour later and started helping them. Sam pulled out his laptop and shared his research with them while Dean pulled out books and started trying to find a similar case. 

    A man knocked on the door, introducing himself to Kat and Nicky as Sheriff Andrew Brady. Sheriff Andy was heading into town and asked if they would accompany a small party. Nicky and Kat agreed, wanting to give Dean and Sam a break from escorting. 

    Kat and Nicky joined a group of nine civilians, Sheriff Andy joining them too. They walked out of the doors; Kat dressed in her leather jacket, jeans, and a t-shirt. She made sure she had all silver bullets in the gun holstered on her hip, her silver knife in the holster under her jacket. She even wore her silver boot knife, just in case. She had a spare gun in her hands. 

    They walked through the gates, heading down the main street. Sheriff Andy had split them into two groups. Kat led the party that was going for supplies. Nicky and Andy were going to find survivors. 

    The road ended in a T-intersection, Kat’s group going left and Nicky’s going right. They were to meet up in an hour back at the gates. Kat led her team down the street. It was eerily quiet like all the sound had been sucked out of the area, the only noise coming from her team’s boots on the pavement. 

    The first couple stores they passed had red x’s on the doors, marking them as looted. Her team continued, all eyes wandering around the landscape for a possible ambush. The next store hadn’t been touched, so Kat stood next to the doorframe and motioned for her team to stay. 

    She pulled the door open and swept her eyes across the front of the store, her gun sweeping the area. The shop front was empty, so she motioned her team in. They made their way through the store, Kat peeking down aisles to check for the infected before allowing them to loot. As each aisle was cleared, she started to relax. 

    The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she heard a sound come from the back room. She motioned for quiet, and her team fell in beside her. She grabbed one of the men, telling him to follow while the others stayed and waited. 

    Kat stood beside the doorway of the break room, hearing scratching and footsteps behind it. The man stood on the other side of the doorway, and she motioned for him to stay before she stepped in front of the door and trained her gun in front of her. 

    She had the man open it, pushing it open as Kat swept her gun over the area she could see. She stepped in and looked around the room, stopping when she saw a man bent over a corpse. The creature was humpbacked and ripping through the corpse's body, pulling out organs and chucking them to the side. 

    Kat’s stomach turned at the sight, and she whispered to her teammate, “Do they all do that?” 

    He shrugged, his face pale before Kat called out, “Hey!” 

    The creature turned around, and icy fear flooded her veins. Its eyes were blood red, and its teeth and nails were long and pointed. Kat leveled her gun and shot it in the head as it jumped at her. It fell to floor, twitching, and Kat swept through the room, checking for more. 

    When she finished, she turned to the corpse, “Can it…? Will she come back?” 

    She heard a deep voice behind her and turned her head towards it, “No. Not after that.” 

    The man pushed down his baseball cap and walked out of the room. She turned back to the corpse, thinking how quickly it could have been her. She shook away the thought and turned around, walking out of the break room and helping her team grab more supplies. 

    Once their packs were full, she had them ready to leave. They checked guns, water, and bags to make sure everything was secured before she would pronounce them prepared. They left through the front door, Kat and Ball Cap going out first and sweeping over the landscape before they motioned for the rest to follow. Ball Cap drew an X on the door before they set off down the road. 

    They were halfway back to the hotel when they heard gunfire behind them. Kat’s two lookouts let out a low whistle and her team, and she fell to the roadside, hiding behind barricades. Sheriff Andy’s group came into view, two new members surrounded by the team, who was firing at a group of infected coming at them. Kat trained her gun at the first creature, waiting for it to come into range before shooting at its chest. Once it fell to the ground, she picked off two more, her team helping to take out the others. 

    She waited to make sure there weren’t more before telling them to help Andy’s party get the two new survivors back to base. She fell in behind the group, walking backward and making sure nothing else came at them. When they got to the gates, Andy, Nicky, and she checked over each person. 

    The protocol was to cut an arm with a silver dagger, pour holy water onto to wound, and make them walk over the salt line at the gate. Kat checked one survivor as Nicky and Andy checked the other. Both cleared, and Kat started going through Andy’s team. Her team waited, eyes trained on the woods on the other side of the road. 

    Kat reached for her knife as the last member of his team came forward. The woman had put her weapons away and threw them at Kat’s feet before she pulled up her sleeve. Kat sliced the skin below her elbow, and they both sighed when nothing happened.  Kat put her knife away and grabbed the water, splashing some on the woman’s wound. 

    The wound hissed and bubbled, and the woman began screaming. “NO! No! It didn’t bite me!” 

    Nicky grabbed the woman’s arms from behind, and Kat checked her over, finding a small knick on her chest. “I’m so sorry, Sarah.” 

    Kat’s team had turned towards them, watching with dead eyes. Kat took the woman’s arm, leading her away from the gates as she pleaded. Her heart was breaking for the woman, but she had to keep the others safe. She started talking to Sarah about her family and friends, trying to help her calm down. 

    Sarah walked into the woods with her, telling her about her family. When Kat came to a clearing, she pulled out her gun and shot her in the back of the head before Sarah knew what was happening. The dull thump as her body hit the ground made her flinch and shudder. A tear escaped her eye. She quickly wiped it away and started walking back. 

    Andy and Nicky were done checking her team by the time she got back, Ball Cap waiting on the other side of the line. Kat pulled her knife and checked Andy, giving him the all clear before Andy did the same for her and Nicky. Both cleared, and they stepped over the line, pulling the gates closed and locking it down. Andy had carried Sarah’s pack in; Kat couldn’t touch it. He split off from Nicky and Kat at the entrance, heading to the supply room. Kat and Nicky went up the stairs, and Nicky filled her in on what had happened. 

    Their team had found the two survivors outside of town in an old house. Getting them out had been easy, but a mile down the road they were ambushed. Twelve creatures came rushing out of two homes and their team took down five before they had to run for it. Two more had been killed off as they ran and Kat’s group had helped with the rest. Sarah had been injured in the initial attack, Nicky had seen it and asked her to go last. She knew she would be positive and didn’t want the rest of the team to see what would happen. 

    “Thank you for handling that, Kat. I… I couldn’t do it, and Andy didn’t know yet.” 

    Kat rubbed at her eyes, frowning at the knife still in her hand before putting it away, “It’s okay, Nicky. You would have done the same for me.” 

    Nicky hugged her and went to her room. Kat stood outside Dean and Sam’s room, staring at the numbers on the door. She heard a noise behind her and turned to see two of the townspeople walk by, both crying. Kat took a deep breath and went into the room. 

    Sam didn’t look up from his laptop as she shut the door. “How’d it go, sis?” 

    “Three brothers and one sister,” she choked out. 

    Sam looked up, confused, “What?” 

    “She had three brothers and one sister. The girl I shot.” Kat could feel the tears sliding down her face, and she sobbed. 

    Sam slowly put his laptop to the side and stood, “Katherine? Are you okay?” 

    “She was on Nicky and Andy’s team. She got infected, and I took her into the woods and shot her. Like she was some diseased animal. J-Just shot her in the back of the head before she even knew it was coming.” 

    Sam hurried over and pulled her into a hug, his head on top of hers as he hushed her. “Shh, it’s okay, Kat. You did the right thing.” 

    She wrapped her hands around his back, fingers clutching the back of his shirt. “It’s NOT okay. She had three brothers and one sister in this world. Her parents were killed in the first few months, and somewhere in this building, two of her brothers wait to hear if she came back okay. One sister is cooking and thinking everything IS okay. But it’s not. It’s not okay.” 

    Sam pulled her over to the bed and made her sit down next to him before hugging her to his chest again, “You’re right. It’s not okay, but you did do the right thing. Now her siblings can hopefully live longer, and we can find a way to help these people and keep them safe.” 

    She nodded and hid her face against his chest, her tears flowing unchecked, “We need to find out what this is and get a cure. I-I don’t want to have to do that again.” 

    She heard their door open and Dean’s voice, “What happened?” 

    Sam explained while Kat wiped her eyes, “Kat had a rough first day. Lost a team member to an infected.” 

    “Not to an infected, Sam.” She looked up at Dean, “I had to kill her.” 

    Dean groaned and threw his bag on the ground before kneeling in front of her, “Are you okay?” 

    “Physically, yes. Mentally, HELL no!” 

    He got up and sat on the other side of her, his arm wrapping around her waist as Sam’s let go. “I thought you’d be fine out there. We haven’t run into anything for a couple of days.” 

    She sighed and shook her head, “My team ran into one in a store. I killed it. On our way back, Nicky and Andy’s team caught up with us, trailing five. I took out two while my team helped take out the rest. Sarah was on their team.” 

    Dean pulled back, “Sarah?” 

    “The girl I had to shoot.” 

    He pulled her close again, “She was on my team last time I went out. She’s Andy’s cousin.” 

    Kat pushed him away, “What?! I just killed the sheriff’s cousin?!” 

    Dean shook his head and pulled her against him again as Sam sighed, “Andy knew it was risking sending his family out there. We told him repeatedly that he didn’t have to send anyone he couldn’t bear to lose.” 

    Kat sighed, “That’s why he looked so shocked. And so defeated when I came back.” 

    Dean nodded, his head moving against hers. “Baby, let me get you in a shower. Your, uh, you’ve got some blowback on you.” 

    Kat pulled away and looked at her shirt, seeing the splatters of blood and other remains, “Oh god! And you two have just been hugging me?!” 

    Dean gave a small laugh, “You needed a hug, and it’s not anything we haven’t seen before.” He got up and pulled her to her feet. “Come on, shower time.” 

    She let him pull her halfway to the bathroom before she planted her feet, making him stop. “Sam, can you check on Nicole? She didn’t look so hot when she went into her room.” 

    “Yeah, Kat. I can handle that.”


	67. Ready

    Katherine woke up the next morning wrapped in Dean’s arms. He had helped her clean up the night before, treat and bandage her arm, and put her in one of his shirts for bed. He packed blankets around them as they cuddled up on the bed and held her close all night. 

    Sam had come back to the room late and taken a shower before climbing onto his bed and continuing researching. He told her he had found a link between the virus they were fighting and the Croatoan virus. He had learned that the warehouse they had bombed had a few samples survive. These samples had been further developed. Sulfur was still detectable in the blood, but now saliva was the means of transfer, blood was not mentioned in any reports. 

    Kat had shuddered when learning this. Saliva meant that a man and woman kissing could spread the virus among them. A mother kissing her baby or sharing food with her child could infect the small ones. An envelope, a stamp, even a toothbrush, once shared, became a transfer. 

    Sam was still working on a cure, so far no one had mentioned one. They tried calling on Cas again, but he never answered. Sam wanted to try a mixture he had thought of on an infected, but Dean refused, saying he would have to get too close and risk getting killed. Kat and Dean had curled up in bed, hoping that Castiel could come before things got worse. 

    Kat could hear Sam’s laptop clicking as he typed. “Sam? Did you sleep at all last night?” 

    Sam grumbled, “I got a few hours, but I thought of a possible way to test the infected. I’ve been working with a couple of doctors here to see if we can whip something together to try.” 

    Kat turned in Dean’s arms, causing him to tighten them around her and grumble. “Sammy, you need rest.” 

    He looked at her and sighed, “I can’t. I need to figure this out. It’s right in front of me, I know it. I have to piece it together.” 

    “Remember to eat and rest. We can’t lose you to this.” 

    He turned back to his computer, “I’ll figure it out. I have to talk to the doctors, though. I have a few ideas, but I’m not sure if they will work.” 

    He stood up and carried his laptop out of the room. She sighed and turned back to Dean, cuddling up to his chest. His hand slid down her back, lifting up the hem of her shirt and pushing underneath to rub her lower back. 

    His sleep-heavy voice rumbled in his chest, “You two are loud.” 

    She smiled and kissed his chest, “Funny, he says that to me most mornings.” 

    Dean’s laugh made her smile wider, “Fair enough, but we have to take teams into the town later to find more survivors. We need rest.” 

    Kat nodded against his chest, her heart lurching as she thought about Sarah, “I forgot we had to go back into town.” 

    His hand moved up her back to massage away a knot between her shoulders, “You can do this, Katie. I’ll be with you.” 

    She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. “I know I can. It’s just the lead up that sucks. Once I’m in it, I’m calm and collected. Before is when the freak out happens.” 

    Dean chuckled, “Yeah, I can see that. The nerves before the act.” 

    “Exactly.” 

    They got up and got dressed a little while later. Kat pulled on a clean tank top and threw her leather jacket on the bed, noticing someone had cleaned it for her. Her dark jeans came next and then her many holsters and weapons. Dean came up behind her and helped secure them all, making sure she had easy access to them before helping her into her jacket. 

    He dressed in a dark shirt, throwing on jeans. She came over to him with a holster she had bought him as a Valentine’s gift. It was made to cross the body and hold extra ammo, a gun, and a knife. His gun tucked comfortably under his arm with his knife and ammo under the other. She helped him into his work shirt and green military jacket before kissing the back his shoulder. 

    He turned around and held her close, kissing her cheeks and forehead. “Be safe out there, Katie. If we have to split up, come back to me. I love you.” 

    Kat wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “I love you too. I’ll always come back to you, Dean. No matter what.”


	68. Split

    Kat’s team was split from Dean’s, just like they had feared. A group of infected had attacked them at the intersection, and they broke apart, trying to divide the creatures' group to make it easier to kill them. Kat had gone to the right this time, running past houses and apartments while shooting at the infected behind her. 

    She lost two members before they found a safe place to bunker down and pick off the infected. Her five remaining people spread out in the old train car, salt lines placed at every door and window. She radioed to Dean and base to let them know where they were and tried to pick off as many of the remaining twelve infected that they could. 

    By the time base got back to her, her team had picked off three infected. She was losing hope that they could get out of there without another team coming to help and she prayed to Castiel, begging him for help. She had never tried calling him before, but she knew he wasn’t likely to answer. He was notorious for only responding to Dean. 

    It was past nightfall when the infected got brave. They rammed against the doors, trying to get in while Kat and her team fought to keep them out. Five more infected had joined the remaining nine, and now her team was losing hope too. 

    She could see flashlights in the distance, and she called out on the radio to give them their location again and a summary of what they were dealing with there. She aimed and shot two infected, trying to kill as many as she could. A loud crash drew Kat’s attention. The door had broken, and infected stood on the other side. 

    Ball Cap, Henry, aimed and shot the first infected, Liam taking out another. The infected used one of its dead to break the salt line, a male climbing over the corpse to get into the train. Kat picked him off quickly and waited. 

    The creatures pulled back, waiting also. Kat shifted nervously, her gun trained on the doorway. She jumped and turned when a window behind her broke, the salt line broken too. A hand reached through and grabbed her coat, pulling her back. 

    Henry dropped his gun and grabbed her outstretched arms, starting a tugging war with the creature holding her. She could feel the glass from the window pane biting into her thighs as she was pulled back harder and she tucked her gun in her waistband, half of her was already through the window. Liam holstered his weapon and ran over, trying to help Henry pull her back through. 

    Kat was grabbing for her knife when the creature grabbed her hair and bit through the hole in her jacket. Its teeth sank through the cut on her arm; it’s tongue lapping at the wound. She screamed, her head wrenched to the side as Dean came out of the woods, yelling. Kat palmed her knife and plunged it into the infected’s neck repeatedly. 

    She fell with it, glass biting into her calves as Henry and Liam pulled on her again. They let go of her legs at her order, and the two teams worked quickly to kill off the rest of the infected. Kat laid on the ground, holding her wounds and knowing what needed to happen. 

    Strong arms grabbed her and stood her up. She looked back and saw Henry standing next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. 

    “I’m sorry, Katherine.” 

    Kat gave him a watery smile, “You did great work, Henry. I should have kept better watch on the windows.” 

    She closed her eyes and prayed again, _Please, Castiel. PLEASE! Come to Dean. He’s going to need you very soon._  

    She looked across the clearing as she pulled her gun from her waistband. Dean was fighting with the last infected. She watched, her gun trained on it when it bit into his neck. She screamed, and the creature pulled away. Her shot was clean through its face, and Dean crumpled to the ground. 

    Henry helped her to hurry over. Dean was laying on the ground breathing heavily, and Kat could see the blood on his neck. She saw Castiel appear and she sobbed. He had come too late. Cas knelt next to Dean as Kat hobbled up, dropping to her knees beside him. 

    She touched Dean’s cheek; her breathing labored as she sobbed, “You will NOT let our kids become orphans, Dean Winchester. I will NOT allow it.” 

    He stared at her and groaned, “I don’t know what we can do about that, baby.” 

    Castiel cleared his throat, “Sam has made a cure, but it may not work. I heard Katherine’s call while working with him. He’s on his way.” 

    Kat laid down next to Dean and put an arm on his chest, “You have to hold out, Dean.” 

    “So do you, Katie. I won’t lose you too.” 

    Henry walked away to the other team members, whispering. They took off down the road, leaving half behind to help protect Dean and Kat. Castiel stayed by Dean’s side, holding pressure on his neck. 

    “Cas? Can’t you heal this?” 

    “It’s in the bloodstream already. It takes over and creates a new life. It would kill you two if I tried.” 

    She heard a motor running and looked over her shoulder. The team was flooding back, a car behind them. Henry opened the car door when it stopped, grabbing a bag from Sam as he ran over. 

    “Kat! Dean! What the hell, guys?” 

    Kat gave him a watery smile. “We figured we’d be your test dummies.” 

    Sam groaned, “This isn’t funny, Kat! I don’t know if this will work!” 

   Kat’s body was on fire, her nails feeling as though they were ripping out of her skin. “If I don’t laugh, I’m going to scream. Give him the stuff.” 

    Sam pulled out two vials and syringes as a doctor came running over. “I’m going to give it to both of you.” 

    She shook her head, her vision slowly turning pink. “Sam, look at me.” He looked down and cursed. “It’s too late, Sammy.” 

    Dean turned her face to his, “Fuck! Katie, No! Fight it!” 

    “Don’t you think I have been? I can feel it burning in my veins. My nails feel like they are being ripped out! Everything is shades of pink and red and Fuck! My freaking teeth hurt. Take my gun. Use it.” 

    Castiel grabbed Dean under his arms and pulled him away from her. Dean kicked and screamed, trying to get away as Sam filled a syringe. She shook her head, palming her gun. 

    “Sam. It won’t work. You said this morning that the only way was to catch it early. It’s too late. I’m changing already. You have to shoot me.” 

    He ignored her and plunged the needle into her arm, and the doctor ran over to do the same to Dean. Kat’s body rebelled as the liquid was pushed into her. Her back arched, her gun falling from her fingers, and she screamed as war broke out inside her body. Her vision swam, and she shook violently. Her last thought before her vision went dark was of her babies.


	69. Death

    Katherine tilted her head, staring at the woman on the ground. She had pink foam coming from her mouth, and she was seizing. Her back was arched until only her head and heels touched the ground. Sam knelt next to her, shaking his head as tears flowed from his eyes and Henry palmed his gun. 

    She looked over and saw Dean. His face was covered in tears as he watched the woman seize. His own body was trembling and arching, a sweat breaking out on his forehead as he fought to keep eyes on the woman. Castiel held so he could sit upright as the cure worked to clean his body. He sat in the grass and watched his wife die. Castiel helped him to stand, and Dean hobbled over, falling to the turf beside her. His hand reached out and touched her hair as she fell on the ground, her chest bobbing up and down as she labored to breathe. 

    Her breath rattled, and her chest quit moving before Dean's scream tore through the night, “NO! KATIE! Get up! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave this family!” 

    A hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned to see a woman. “Hi, Katherine. I’m here to help you.” 

    Kat turned back and watched Dean crumple next to her lifeless body, “I’m not leaving him, Reaper." 

    “You know the consequences if you don’t. You won’t be the same person. It will eat at you until you become what you used to hunt.” 

    She turned and faced the reaper. She was beautiful. Her long blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Her brown eyes stared into Kat’s, imploring her to listen. 

    “What’s your name?” 

    “Abigail.” 

    “Abigail, I can’t leave him. I need to see him get home to our kids safe. I need to know they are all alive still. I need to know that he will survive.” 

    “It’s your choice. Call for me if you change your mind.” 

    The reaper disappeared as Kat turned around, watching Dean grab her face as his forehead rested against hers. Sam knelt next to his brother, his hand on Dean’s shoulder. Kat looked on as the two men cried over her lifeless body. 

...

    Dean and Sam stayed another week, Cas helping to eradicate the virus that had killed her. Dean refused to allow her body to be burned, so Sam and Cas took care of it when he finally fell asleep. She watched them strip off her wedding rings and necklaces, Sam putting them in his pocket. They put her in a grave, covering her with her rainbow blanket. 

    Sam stood back, a tear rolling down his cheek as he whispered, “Goodbye, Kat.” 

    He threw dirt on her body and Kat stood next to him, watching her form disappear under the dirt and gravel. Sam turned away when she was covered, Cas disappearing. She followed her brother-in-law back to the hotel, going to Dean and Sam’s room. Dean laid on their bed, his eyes blank as he stared at the ceiling. 

    She tried to touch him, but her hand passed right through him. She focused and tried again. Nothing. Sam took her rings and necklaces from his pocket and laid them on Dean’s chest. 

    He cleared his throat, “I’m sorry, Dean. I couldn’t let her lay there anymore.” 

    Dean’s eyes slammed shut, and his hand covered her jewelry. “I should have been there.” 

    Kat could feel tears choking her as Sam replied, “It's better this way. You can remember her the way she was, not how she is now.” 

   Dean picked up the jewelry, sitting up and sliding the rings onto the tree of life necklace before pulling it over his head and settling the rings over his heart. “I need to get home to our kids.” He hung his head, putting her thunderbird necklace in Sam’s hand as a tear slid from Dean’s eye, “How can I explain this to a two-year-old and a nine-month-old?” 

   Sam sat next to his brother, pulling her necklace over his head, “She died fighting to keep them safe. Their mom loved us so much that she fought to save us from monsters.” 

   She watched the tears fall from the men’s faces, wanting to hug her family and tell them everything would be okay.


	70. Ghost

    Katherine stayed with Dean as Nicole drove him home. Sam drove the Impala and Henry drove Nicole’s car. Henry had decided to leave the destroyed town and wanted to get far away from it. 

   Dean walked into their house, Dawn rushing to him and hugging his leg. Ash was holding Rob, watching the man break down in tears. He walked over and took Rob, holding him close and sitting on the couch. He pulled Dawn into his lap, hugging their kids close to his chest. 

    Sam walked in and whispered to Ashlyn. Ash gave him a shocked look, and a sob burst from her chest. He hugged her close while she cried. 

    Ash pulled back, whispering, “Who's going to tell her family? Tell Kelly and Liz?”

    Sam sighed, “I think I’m going to have to. Dean? Dean can’t.” 

    Over the next few days, she watched her friends and family come to her home. Sam and Ash told them about her death, and she watched each of them break down. Liz’s family had been the hardest to watch. Elizabeth screamed and fell to her knees, begging Sam and Ash to tell her it was a lie. David held her while her kids filed in from outside, having heard their mother’s scream. David and Liz held them close as each broke down in tears at the loss of their Aunt Katherine. 

    Kat had to leave. She couldn’t watch them anymore. She flashed downstairs, standing next to the bed as Dean, Rob, and Dawn napped. Dean had told them Mommy was gone, but the kids didn’t understand. Dawn asked him every day where she was, and Dean would cry, reminding her that Mommy wasn’t coming home. 

    Kat sat on the bed, watching her kids cuddle with their dad, peacefully sleeping. “I love you all. I’m so sorry I had to leave you.” 

    Dean grunted in his sleep, hand resting on Rob’s chest. Kat reached out and forced her hand to touch the rings around his neck. She startled when she felt the warmth they had absorbed from Dean. 

    She looked around, trying to find a way to tell him she was still there. She got up, running to the nursery. She found Dawn’s fingerpaints and some paper. She forced the jars to open, dipping a brush into the paints and writing a note for Dean. 

     _Honey,_

_I love you so much. I’m sorry that I left you, but I will always come back to you._

_Katie._  

    She stared at the note and smiled. She hoped Dean would understand the message. She sat on a rocker in the kids' room and sighed. 

    “Abigail.” 

    Abigail flashed in, smiling at Kat, “Are you ready?” 

    “How did this happen," Katherine asked with a growl. "Is this actually the Natural Order?” 

    She gave her a nervous look. “You should have lived much longer. Something happened and," she shrugged. "I’m sorry, Katherine.” 

    “So it was a mistake. Let me come back! Let me be with my family!” 

    “Your body was ruined. Only an angel could bring you back now, and they are doubtful to help. Katherine, you cannot come back.” 

    “Then take me. I can’t take anymore.”


	71. Heaven

    Gary sat across from Kat, his smiling face bright as he held Dawn and his son Jace jumped onto Taylor’s lap. Dean stood behind Kat at the restaurant, his hands on her shoulders. She turned and saw Kelly walk in with her husband Craig and son, Alan. Kelly hurried over and pulled Dean into a hug before hugging Kat. Craig hugged Kat and shook Dean’s hand. Alan jumped on Kat’s lap, telling her about his day at daycare. 

    Kat sighed. She had relived this day for a while. It was the day Gary got to meet Dawn for the first time. She and Dean had reconciled, and he had moved back into the house with Sam. Gary had been on a work trip when his niece was born and didn’t meet her until she was almost three months old. 

    Kat mouthed Kelly’s words as she said them, “Oh my God, Kat! She’s beautiful!” 

    She replied, “Wait until she’s older. She’s going to be a heartbreaker.” 

    Dean laughed, “Wait until she’s older. She’s going to be a heartbreaker.” 

    Kat sighed and got up from the table. She opened a door and walked through. Now she was standing in a field with her dad. Don looked the same as always. Red flannel shirt, blue jeans, long wavy black hair, striking grey eyes. 

    He smiled, “Come on, Alley Kat! It’s time to hunt!” 

    She sighed and walked to the garden shed, opening the door and walking through it. She was in the hotel suite with sixteen-year-old Dean and eleven-year-old Sam. They were watching The Mighty Ducks, and Kat and Dean were joking about the characters while Sam groaned and asked them to stop. Kat loved this memory. It was when she realized her crush on Dean. 

    Dean reached over and grabbed Kat’s shoulder, pushing her and Kat poked him in the side, making him twitch. 

    “Oh, Dean? Are you ticklish?” 

    He put on his best tough guy face, “No!” 

    Sam chuckled, “He is. Watch!” 

    Sam grabbed Dean’s side and tickled him, making the older brother laugh and shake. Kat jumped on the couch and sat behind Dean, her legs on either side of him. She tickled his ribs until he was breathless. He laid his head back in her lap, glaring as he caught his breath. 

    Kat remembered this moment. She stared down into his beautiful green eyes and remembered the butterflies in her stomach so many years ago. She remembered her hand reaching out and touching his hair and his eyes softening. Katherine thought about the way he had stared up at her, her long raven hair falling forward until his hand reached up and brushed it behind her ear. The way her whole body had tingled at his touch and how he stared for a few moments until Sam said something and he looked shocked before sitting forward and turning his attention to him. 

    Kat sighed and felt the familiar ache in her chest that she got when she lived through memories of Dean. She missed him, and the replay of their life together didn’t make her feel any better. Katherine knew they were supposed to have a long life together and they got cheated out of it. It made her angry, but she didn’t know what to do about it. As far as she knew, she hadn’t been dead long, but it felt like ages. 

    She walked out of the suite and into one of her favorite memories. Kat was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the Illinois River snaking through the valley below. She heard a giggle and turned to see Dawn racing towards her, Dean following behind holding four-month-old Robby in his arms. Sam was chasing Dawn and Kat sighed. She knew what happened next and stepped two feet to the left, catching Dawn before she fell down the cliff. She swung her around and kissed her soft cheek, tears prickling her eyes as she thought about how she would never get to do that to the real Dawn again. 

    Dean walked up behind her and kissed her cheek, “Good catch, beautiful.” 

    Kat sighed, and Dean continued, her line never said, “You are good, Katie. We’re lucky to have you.” 

    Kat stuck her tongue out at the fake Dean, and he smiled, “That makes two of us. I’m pretty sure Sam would agree too.” 

    She twiddled her fingers and gave Dean a wet willy before he continued, “You think so? Maybe we should ask him?” 

    She’d had enough. Heaven wasn’t paradise for her. It was torture. She walked over to the ravine and thought about jumping. Fake Dean kept talking to the space she had been as if she had never moved and Kat suddenly wanted to jump. Instead, she grabbed a large stick and ran up to a nearby house, shattering its windows and breaking anything she could. 

    She heard a deep voice behind her, and she turned, swinging the stick like a bat. “You’ll have to do better than that, Katherine Gunner.” 

    The man was tall, almost Sam’s height, and wearing a black suit. His dark hair was slicked back, and his brown eyes were kind, but there was an edge to them. He smiled at her, and she dropped the stick, taking a step back. 

    “I thought this was MY heaven? What are you doing here?” 

    The man smirked, “It is. But I’m… What do you humans call it? Ah! Your guardian angel. Azrael’s the name, and you are far too early to this party.” 

    She stared at him, blinking slowly, “Say again? You’re my guardian angel?” He nodded, and she scoffed, “Great job you did there, buddy. Couldn’t stop me from getting infected and dying?” 

    He frowned. “You weren’t supposed to get infected. Your team member Henry and Dean were supposed to. You were supposed to radio back; Sam would come and save them. Happily ever after and all that crap. Someone messed with the timeline.” 

    She blinked again. “So fix it.” 

    “Can’t. My brother Castiel needs to find the meddler, then he and I get to have fun before I can even think about sending you back. But it is not guaranteed that I can or will.” 

     She glared, “I have a family!” 

    He shrugged, “So do I. What does that matter? Family members die all the time.” 

    She growled, “Then leave! Let me enjoy this torture you call paradise in peace. Or whatever I can gain from this bullshit!” 

    Azrael disappeared, and Kat closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She walked through the house’s door and into another memory. She was lying on her side on her sectional’s chaise, Dean in front of her, their clothes disheveled. A thick blanket of snow covered the ground outside. She sighed, _The night of the blizzard._  He kissed her gently. 

“God, you’re gorgeous, Katie.”


	72. Subsisting

    Dean rolled over in bed, reaching to Kat’s side. His hand hit the mattress, and he lifted his head from his pillow, sleep-heavy brain confused. He stared at her cold pillow as the memories came back to him and he shoved his head back on his pillow, groaning. 

    It had been three months since Kat had died. Dean had spent his birthday in bed at the hotel in Virginia, his wife buried in the cold dirt instead of with him under the blankets. He had called the kids, listening to Ash tell him about their days before he handed the phone off to Sam. They left that day, Dean deciding he needed to be with his kids. 

    Nicole’s wedding had come and gone without Katie too. Sam, Dean, and the kids went since Dawn was the flower girl. Katie was supposed to be matron of honor, but since her death, Nicky decided to have Dawn and Dean stand in her place. He had barely made it through the ceremony, but when he had, he stayed to take a couple of pictures with Nicky and Eric. He went out to the Impala once Nicky told him he wasn’t needed anymore and hid his breakdown while the bride and groom took pictures with everyone else. The pain of watching the couple say their vows, the same promises Katie and Dean had made in their ceremony, was too much. 

    Dean had repeated the vows in his head as he lay in bed, his mind playing through Katie and his wedding while his fingers played with her rings on his chest. _“I believe in you, the person you will grow to be and the couple we will be together.”_ Katie walked down the small aisle with Bobby. Her champagne dress had billowed in the wind, making her look like a goddess. 

 _“With my whole heart, I take you as my wife, acknowledging and accepting your faults and strengths, as you do mine.”_ Dean had taken her hand as soon as she had hugged Bobby, leading her to Eddy. His mind had reeled then, and it did now as he thought about the woman who had somehow agreed to marry him. 

 _“I promise to be faithful and supportive and to make our family's love and happiness my priority always.”_ She had smiled so wide when he said his vows, tears welling in her eyes. His own eyes were threatening tears when she spoke hers. He had never had anyone except a select few people that he had cared about like her. 

 _“I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph.”_ That was the part of his vows he had taken seriously, and he felt like he had failed miserably. He should have protected her better; he hadn’t kept her safe. 

 _“I will dream with you, celebrate with you, and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring.”_ They had had such a short life together, but they had had so much to celebrate and dream about for them. 

 _“You are my person – my love and my life, today and always.”_ Dean sighed, his mind replaying their short lives as his heart filled with regret for all of the silly fights and time apart. She was his wife, the only woman he had ever felt so close to and now she was gone.

     Now, they were going to celebrate Rob’s first birthday without her in two days. Sam, Ash, and Liz were handling most of the planning, coming to Dean with small ideas that they could let him in on without too much thought. He tried to help as much as possible, but it was hard when everything reminded him of Katie. He didn’t know how they were going to celebrate Sam’s birthday, but he needed to think of something. 

    His phone ringer pulled him from his melancholy, and he reached onto his bedside table, grabbing it. “Yeah?” 

    He suppressed a groan when he heard his mother-in-law’s voice, “Dean? When is Robert’s birthday party?” 

    Dean took a deep breath, frustration welling inside him. “Rob’s party is in two days, Bernice. You should have gotten an invitation in the mail and Kelly should have called you. Are you, Michael, and Lyla coming?” 

    She sighed, her voice irritated. “I don’t know where my invitation went, and she called, I forgot. Lyla will be there with Michael. I will try to attend, but Lyra is having a small get together that I told her I would attend.” 

    He sat up, growling, “So you and Lyra are going to skip Rob’s first birthday? What the hell, Bernice?” 

    “He’ll have other birthdays. Lyra is in a rare good mood, and I’d like to spend some time with her.” 

    “Well, I’m glad you and Lyra are having such a great time, what with Katie being dead.” 

    He flinched at his own words, but Bernice seemed unaffected, “Dean, our lives can’t stop because Katie finally got herself killed on some stupid hunt. Move on already.” 

    Dean could feel his anger roaring in his chest, “It’s been three freaking months, Bernice! Three months and you guys are going to flake on my son already? Can one of you at least bring Katie’s nieces?” 

    She gave a long sigh, “Dean. I like you. You’re handsome, and somehow you decided to marry Katherine and take her off my hands. But you will not raise your voice to me. Lyla will be there for Robert. Isadora will make it too. I will stop in if I can. Have a nice day.” 

    Dean stared at his phone as the line went dead. His hand was shaking with the effort not to throw the damn thing across the room. He threw the blankets off of him and climbed out of bed, going into the kids’ room to check on them. He sighed as he stood in the doorway, watching them sleep peacefully as his anger ebbed.


	73. In-Laws

    Bernice and Lyra had been a pain in Dean's side since the day he had met them. They had randomly come into the bar after he and Katie had gotten back together. Dean was taking care of Dawn while Katie worked on papers and choreography in the back. 

    Bernice and Lyra came through the door and walked straight to Elizabeth, Bernice demanding, “Where is Katherine? I need to speak to her.” 

    Elizabeth shook her head, “Bernice, Lyra. You aren’t supposed to come here.” 

    Lyra was scratching at her forearm, “Where’s that fucking sister of mine, Liz?” 

    Liz sighed as Dean sat up in his chair, glaring at Lyra. “Lyra, you need to leave. You too, Bernice. Kat is not going to be happy when she finds out you came here.” 

    Lyra slammed her hands on the table, making Dawn startle and start screaming, “WHERE IS MY SISTER?!” 

    Dean stood, rocking Dawn. “She left to run errands. Call or text her, but leave.” 

    Bernice looked him over as Lyra glared at Liz. “Who are you? And why are you holding Katherine’s child?” 

    He murmured as Dawn started calming down. “I’m Dean and Dawn is my daughter." 

    Lyra shook her head, staring at him skeptically. “Not possible. Katherine said she didn’t know who the father was and you are way too hot to have done anything with her.” 

    Liz sighed, “Cool it, Lyra. Kat will flay you alive.” 

    Lyra sneered at her, “Katherine can eat a bag of dicks. Oh wait, she did.” 

    Liz grumbled, “You’re one to talk. You married Isadora’s dad and then cheated on him until you had Lyla. It’s a miracle he even took you back.” 

    “Don’t talk about my kids!” 

    Liz sighed, “Can they be called your kids when you aren’t helping to raise either of them? You’re too busy finding things to push into your veins.” 

    Bernice grabbed the back of Lyra’s shirt as she lunged at Liz. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at the two women before standing and taking Dawn from Dean. 

    “I’ll let Kat know they’re here.” 

    Dean watched Liz walk away, Bernice close behind her. Lyra sat at the table, staring at Dean. Dean sat down, leaning back in the chair and eyeing Katie’s sister. She was short and far too thin, her thin brown hair falling dully on her shoulders. Her brown eyes were dull as they traveled over him. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, trying to give her less to look at as her gaze continued. 

    She cleared her throat, “So how did you meet my sister?” 

    “Your father introduced us when we were kids. We lost touch, but met up again on a hunt.” 

    She sucked her teeth, “So you’re a hunter too?” 

    “Both my brother and I are.” 

    Humming, she brushed her hair off her shoulder and smiled at him, “Wow. Is your brother as sexy as you are?” 

    “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about whether my brother was sexy.” 

    “He’d have to be if he shares genes with you. How did my sister hook someone like you? Did she trick you into getting her pregnant?” 

    Dean rubbed the hair at the nape of his neck, trying to keep his calm. “She didn’t even tell me I could be Dawn’s father until after our daughter was born.” 

    “So she used the baby? You know, single dads are kinda hot. You could land way more women without my sister. I know I’d be interested.” 

    Dean stared at the woman, thoroughly insulted. “She didn’t use our child. She didn’t even want to tell me because” he shook his head. “The reasons don’t matter. Either way, we are back together now, and I would never leave her for another woman, especially you.” 

    Lyra sneered at him, “Why? You know she murdered our dad, right? She’s a jinx, and she gets off on ruining people’s lives. Look what she did to Mom and me!” 

    He blinked a couple of times, trying to understand. “Your dad was killed by a shapeshifter, and your sister was lucky to live through the fight. You’re an addict, and Bernice, well, who knows what’s wrong with her, but it’s not Katie’s fault.” 

    She laughed, “So she’s roped you in with her sob story? I love how she tells everyone that’s how Dad died. No problems with telling that story. No one saw anything, and there is no body.” 

    Dean’s patience was wearing thin as he growled, “Bobby gave him a hunter’s burial. He was salted, gassed, and burned like he wanted to be. Bobby told us that it was a shifter and he had to peel Katie out of the back of Don’s car. She was terrified and crying on the floorboards.” 

    She chuckled, “Sure she was. Scared of getting caught, I’m sure.” 

    Dean jumped out of his chair, ready to tear into her when he heard Dawn crying. He turned around to see a very harried looking Katie coming from the back room. Her mother was close behind whispering animatedly as she followed. 

    He took a deep breath, trying to calm down before he went over and took Dawn from Kat and kissed her cheek. “You okay, sweetheart?” 

    She shook her head, kissing his cheek before walking over to the table and sitting down with Lyra and Bernice. “No, Mother. I will not loan money to the two of you. Loaning implies you will pay me back and you never have. I’ve lost over ten thousand dollars to the two of you, and I refuse to lose more now that I have a child.” 

    Bernice growled at her daughter, “I told you I would pay you back with my next check. Lyra needs more medication, and you are the only one that can afford it!” 

    Kat sighed and picked at her jeans, “Which meds this time? Percocet? Demerol? Vicodin? Or is it Heroin?” 

    Lyra hissed, “It’s my Methadone!” 

    He watched as his girlfriend raised her eyes to her sister’s dull brown eyes, eyebrow quirked. “Methadone, huh? Judging by the junkie scratch and her inability to keep her eyes focused on me, I’m going to guess that Methadone isn’t working so great.” She shook her head, “Look. I will pay for Lyra to go back to rehab for the third time, but she has to finish the course and show that she is going to take it seriously. I will pay them directly, again, and when she comes out, I can supply a job here until she is stable again.” 

    Lyra groaned, “Rehab doesn’t work! I’ve been four times, and it never helps!” 

    Dean jumped as Liz tapped his shoulder. She took Dawn and went into the back room with her. He stood, watching Katie and her family talk, trying to decide what he should do. He went behind the bar and got Kat’s water bottle. 

    He set it on the table next to her, and she smiled up at him. “Thank you, honey.” 

    He nodded and went to walk away, but she grabbed his arm and laced her fingers with his. He bent down and kissed her forehead before standing behind her chair, his hands on her shoulders. 

    Katie sighed, covering his hand with hers. “I know you feel it doesn’t work, but I can’t stand by and do nothing. Lyla and Isadora need their mother. I know Mother is raising Lyla right now, but she needs a mother, not a grandmother that is standing in.” 

     Bernice straightened in her chair, “I’m doing the best I can, Katherine! If you think you can do better than you take Lyla!” 

    The two women stood, Katherine slumping in her chair, her eyes on her lap, “You know I can’t take them. It’s going to be hard enough keeping Dawn safe.” 

    Lyra walked out of the bar, and Bernice leaned into Katie’s face, “Then don’t tell us what to do in this situation.” 

    Dean was shaking with anger, “Bernice, you need to get out of her face and leave.” 

    Kat straightened when he tugged her shoulders back, and Bernice stood up, glaring at Dean. “Who do you think you are, young man?” 

    He glared into her wooden eyes, “I’m her boyfriend and the father of her child. I’m not going to sit by while you insult her and treat her like shit.” 

    Bernice cackled, “You think that matters? She came out of me. That takes precedence over some guy that she screwed and got pregnant by.” She turned to Katie, “I’ll call you about the money later. Call me if you ever think you can raise these girls. I’ll gladly pass this mess on to you.”


	74. Surviving

     Dean smiled as the kids started waking up, Dawn rolling onto her back from her stomach and Rob kicked his little legs. Dean picked up his son, taking him to the changing table to get him in a fresh diaper. Dawn sat up in bed and rubbed her small eyes. 

    She climbed out of bed and grabbed a new dress for the day, “Daddy, is Mommy coming home today?” 

    Dean held his breath as his heart seized before he answered her, “Not today, Princess.” 

    Dawn threw her dress on her bed and sat down, pouting. “I want Mommy. She always made my hair look pretty. You and Uncah Sammy don't know how.” 

    He softly smiled at his son as he pulled a new shirt onto him, “Maybe Miss Ashlyn can help you with your hair today.” 

    She sighed impatiently. “Okay. But Mommy does it better!” 

    Dean pulled jeans onto Rob as Dawn stomped out of the room, carrying her dress. He picked his son up, hugging him to his chest and kissing his raven hair. Robby studied Katie’s necklace and rings, fingers grasping them into his palm. 

    Rob looked up at Dean, smiling, “Dada!” 

    “Yeah, Little Man. I’m Daddy.” He hugged his son. “Don’t turn out as dramatic as your big sister, Rob. Your old man needs one kid that doesn’t rip through this house like a banshee.” 

    His baby bounced in his arms, slamming his fisted hand on Dean’s chest. Dean chuckled and carried him upstairs, settling him in his highchair before finding yogurt and fruit for the kids. He was running on autopilot as he cut fruit, doled out yogurt, and poured juice. 

    He startled when Ash came into the room, her soft voice breaking through his fog. “Hey, Bruiser! Is your dad making breakfast?” 

    Robby made a series of noises and Ash giggled as she walked over to the fridge, “Do you need any help, Dean?” 

    He shook his head, “I’ve got it. Kids food is ready, just gotta give it to them. Dawn was wondering if you would fix her hair today.” 

    She nodded, “I will. Are you eating? Want me to make some pancakes or eggs?” 

    He hung his head, before picking up the kids plates and setting them in front of the two. “I’m fine. I’ll eat later.” 

    Ash sighed, “Dean, you need to eat more often. You need your strength.” 

    “I eat fine.” 

    She shut the fridge and leaned against it, glaring at him. “Dean! You eat very little and feed most of your food to Rob and Dawn. Kat wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself!” 

    He glared back, crossing his arms over his chest. “We don’t know what Katie would want. She’s gone, and I’m trying to deal with it the only way I know how. If you don’t want to watch, then leave.” 

    She shrugged, “Fine. I will, but I’ll just send Liz and Kelly over, and you can deal with their ways of getting you to eat. Feel like having Liz, Sam, and David force feed you again? Or maybe Kelly can bring over another IV bag after you pass out from dehydration and exhaustion again?” 

    He growled at her. “Why do I have to deal with you women? You’re all huge pains in the ass.” 

    Ash gave a small smile, “Because we’re your family. When you married Kat, you took on us too, and we know she wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself. We know Kat would want you to do your best for your family.” 

    His jaw clenched as anger rolled through him, “Yeah. Well, I’m doing my best. I’m not drinking. I’m not out finding women. I’m home with my kids, trying to figure out what to do next. Where I go from here now that I’ve lost my wife!” 

    Dawn squeaked as he yelled the last word and Dean closed his eyes. Ash went to speak, and he held his hand up, cutting her off. He turned around and kissed the top of Dawn’s head, apologizing for yelling before walking out the back door into the cold April air. 

    His hands were shaking as he leaned against the rail of the back porch, gulping down air. His nerves were shot ever since the infection case. He knew Ashlyn was right, but he didn’t know how else to deal with being a widower and a father. The only person he knew that had been through something similar was his dad, and he didn’t want to be like him. Dean refused to drink at this point, worrying that if he started, he would never stop. He wasn’t hunting either, though he knew that wouldn’t last long. 

    He heard the back door close, and he turned his head to see Sam lean his hip against the railing, “Heard you lose your temper. Wanna talk about it?” 

    Dean looked out over the backyard, watching the kids’ swings move in the wind. “She always pushes too hard. Her, Liz, and Kelly are always getting on my case about something. None of them know what it’s like to lose someone important. None of them know what it’s like to wake up, thinking your person is next to you, only to reach over and they are missing. How it feels to have all of those memories rush back to you and your heart fucking breaks all over again.” 

     Dean slammed his fist on the railing, and Sam sighed. “I know, and I know what that’s like too. I told Ash to take it easy on you before I came out here and to pass that on to the others.” Sam’s hand landed hard on his shoulder, “But you do need to eat more, Dean. Even if it’s a couple more bites, it’s something. You’ll start wasting away if you don’t.” 

     “I’ll try, Sammy. I’m not promising anything, but I’ll try.” 

    Sam nodded, his hand squeezing his shoulder. “That’s all we’re asking for right now. You don’t have to be perfect, just try to survive each day for your kids.” 

    Dean stood and leaned back on the railing, Katie’s thunderbird necklace glinting in the morning light as it hung from his brother’s neck. “It’s so damn hard, Sam. I know what Katie did every day for our kids, for us, and I’m trying to do the same, but I feel like I’m failing. She’d be in there making a full breakfast, and I can barely make the kids a plate of fruit and yogurt. Katie would’ve had Rob’s birthday planned with all the bells and whistles. I can hardly decide what his cake should be. How did she do it all? How did she hunt, dance, manage the bar, workout, and then come home and take care of the kids and us?” 

     Dean ran his hand over his face. “Makes me wonder if I was ever cut out to be a dad.” 

    Sam pulled him into a hug. “Katherine worked herself to the bone to do all of that because she loved us. Dean, you have to know you are a good father. Dawn and Rob are happy and healthy, and you have done a great job at making sure they stay that way. You haven’t run off to drink yourself into oblivion or kill yourself on a hunt. You’re not our dad."     Dean hugged his brother back, his arms tight around the taller man. "I hope not. I don't want our lives for Katie and my kids."


	75. Rob

    Two days later, Dean was standing against the railing again. His kids were playing in the backyard with their family and friends, Katie’s siblings mingling with his and her friends. He watched as Garth and Katie’s sister Terra talked and her brother Gary played with Robby and his son, Jace. 

    His heart gave a sharp ache, tears stinging his eyes as he wished Katie could be there for what felt like the millionth time. He turned his back on the party, trying to calm himself before going down to greet the guests. Gary saw him coming down the steps and handed the two boys off to his wife before redirecting Dean to a far corner. 

    Gary held out his hand, pulling him into a hug when Dean took it. “You don’t have to do this, Dean. We’ll understand if any of this is too hard for you.” 

    Dean took a step back, shaking his head. “Katie would want his first birthday to be special, and she’d want me to be here.” 

    Gary nodded, “Yeah, but she’d also understand if it was too much. Take your time, man. You don’t have to rush into this party. If it gets to be too much, let my wife or me know. We can run interference, especially if Lyra or Mom show up.” 

    Dean stared at his kind brother-in-law, before smiling, “Thanks, Gary.” 

    Gary nodded and walked back over to his wife and the boys. Gary had always been one of Dean’s favorite in-laws. He did his best to help Katie with anything she needed, and he had no problem aiding Dean since he had met him after Dawn’s birth when she and Dean had gotten back together. Gary made sure their kids got together, giving Sam and Dean a much-needed break since Katie’s death. 

    Dean sighed before turning back to the party. He went and sat on the nearest bench around the firepit, watching all of the kids playing. He noticed that Bernice and Michael hadn’t brought Lyla or Isadora and his jaw flexed. He grabbed his phone and called Michael. Dean tolerated Michael more than Bernice most days. 

    Michael answered on the fourth ring, “Hey, Dean. I’m on my way with the girls.” 

    Dean sighed, “Oh, okay. I thought Bernice had forgotten to tell you.” 

    “She did. I have work today, so I’m going to drop them off with a gift from the girls and me before I head out. I’ll have to see if Bernice or Lyra can pick them up.” 

    He ran his fingers over the scruff of his cheek, “I can drive them home or Sam can.” 

    Michael grunted, “Sounds good. I’ll tell Bernice and Lyra.” 

    Dean hung up, getting up to greet guests and help Sam bring out food and snacks for everyone with Liz, Nicky, Ash, and Kelly. Dean brought out paper plates and cutlery while Sam and Gary set up extra seats and a picnic spot for all of the kids. 

    Lyla and Isadora came running into the backyard as they were finishing setting up, Dean letting them run to the front of the line to grab food before the adults. He grabbed a small to go container and threw some food into it with a cupcake and took it up to Michael before going back to eat. Sam and Ash sat next to him, trying to hide the fact that they were watching him eat. He picked at his food but ate a couple of extra bites to make Sam happy. 

    He got up and threw his plate away, hanging back as his stomach rolled. That was the thing with him grieving. He was never hungry now and if he ate his stomach felt like it was turning inside out. His body ached like he had been beaten by a demon and he struggled to keep concentrated on anything. 

    Dean went inside, heading downstairs and into his and Katie’s closet. He tried to ignore her side, not wanting to deal with the heartbreak that happened whenever he saw all of her clothes still hanging in there. Dean didn’t have the heart to pack her things up, so he left them and refused to let anyone else handle it. He reached the top shelf, grabbing the camera bag up there. Dean carried it out to the backyard, sitting on a chair while pulling Don’s camera out. 

    Katie had shown him the camera when they had first started dating. She walked him through how to use it when he had come back after he had run away. He couldn’t think of a better time to use it than today. Katie would have moved around all day with it around her neck, taking pictures of everyone, and making sure to miss nothing. He felt terrible that he hadn’t thought of it sooner, but he would have to make up for it. 

    Dean took pictures of their friends and family, making sure to capture as much as he could. He smiled as Garrett and Taylor juggled their sons Jace and Kyle, taking a picture as his brother-in-law picked his oldest son up by his legs and made the laughing child do a handstand. He snapped a picture of Isadora and Lyla cuddling up with Dawn and Rob, the older girls taking turns telling stories. 

    Sam came over as Dean took a break, the two men sitting on a bench before Sam spoke, “Liz thinks we should bring out the cake soon. I told her I’d ask you.” 

    Dean nodded. “I think it’s about that time. Get the kids good and sugared up before we bring out the presents. Give me a second.” 

    Sam leaned back on the bench. “You feeling okay?” 

    He shrugged. “Tired but I can deal with it. Might grab a glass of juice or something.” 

    “Want me to grab it? You look like you’re about to fall over.” 

    He huffed, “The last thing I want is for Kelly to think I need another IV. It’s not that bad. My stomach’s pissed about the couple extra bites of food.” 

    Sam’s hand brushed through his hair. “Look, if it’s painful to eat more than don’t. I’ll run interference with the women. I don’t want you to hurt yourself to make others happy.” 

    Dean snorted, grinning up at his brother. “Shit, Sam. I’ve done that most my life. Nothing new there.” 

    “Not anymore. You got two kids to take care of, and I’m not going to watch you destroy yourself to make the women happy. But you have to promise me no more IVs or force-feedings. Eat and drink when you can so you can keep up with your daughter and son.” 

    He nodded, staring at his feet as he leaned into his knees. “Got it. Thanks, Sammy.”


	76. Solutions

    Kat stood on the edge of the ravine, and she had the large stick in her hands again, going to town on the house. She couldn’t take it anymore. The memories were too hard to deal with, too painful. Her greatest hits were not great anymore. She wanted to go home, her real home, with her real family. 

     She heard Azrael laugh behind her and she turned to glare at him again, “What, Az?!” 

     He laughed harder, “Az?” 

    She blew hair out of her face and nodded, “Like Ass. I’ll think of something better later. For now, Az works.” 

    He groaned, “You know, you are a determined little thing. I should have known, your father being who he is.” 

    She gave a harsh laugh, “Then send me back, and I’ll stop wrecking shit!” 

    Azrael shrugged, “Doesn’t matter how much you ruin things. It’ll fix itself.” 

    Kat grinned, “Good! More shit to break.” 

    He sighed, “Katherine, just get over it already. I’m not sending you back.” 

    “How can I get over it? I’m not supposed to be here yet!” 

    She turned and broke another window, “Katherine Sage Gunner! Knock it off and get over it!” 

    She grabbed the door’s handle, glaring, “It’s Katherine Sage Winchester, Az!” 

    She threw open the door, tossing aside the stick and slamming her bloody hand on the Angel Banishing Sigil she had drawn on it. Azrael disappeared in a bright light, and she grinned. _Bye Fucker!_  

    She heard a familiar laugh from behind her, and she turned, her jaw dropping. Donald Gunner leaned against a tree in the house’s side yard; back bowed in a full belly laugh. His royal blue flannel and coal black hair were blowing in the breeze, the light blue shirt underneath billowing. His grey eyes found hers, and he gave her a huge smile. 

    “Hey, Alley Kat.” 

    She stared, slowly shaking her head. “You can’t be here. This isn’t possible.” 

    He laughed again, and Bobby walked from around the house. “Hey, Tabby Kat.” 

    She quickly shook her head, “Now, I know this is bullshit. Uncle Bobby, you aren’t dead!” 

    He gave her a sad smile, “Sorry, girl. I am. They didn’t tell you?” 

    She shook her head, “No… They went on a case with you. When they came back, neither talked much at all, just kinda existed. Then they l-left on the case where I died.” 

    “Idgits. They should’ve told ya.” 

    Kat ran over and hugged Bobby, “This isn’t… How?” 

    Her dad huffed, “Guess I’m the dog’s dinner then. We’ve been trying to talk to you, but you leave your memories too quickly.” 

    Kat let go of Bobby and ran to her dad, hugging him close. “I’m sorry, Da. I couldn’t stay in them. They hurt too much.” 

    A short, slim woman stepped from beside the house, “This is touching and all, but that angel won’t be gone long. We need to go!” 

    Kat looked at the woman, confused, “Who are you? Go where?” 

    She smiled kindly at Kat, “Name’s Jo Harvelle, and we’re going to the Roadhouse.”

... 

    Kat stood in the middle of the bar and turned a slow circle. She took her time, taking in the square-shaped bar, mismatched bar stools, and dark wood everywhere. Her dad chuckled and pulled her to a table where a man with a blonde mullet was tapping away at a computer. His grey shirt and red flannel had the sleeves cut off, and he looked like some classic rock groupie. 

    “Hey, Asher. Meet my daughter, Katherine.” 

    Asher looked up momentarily and nodded, “Hey, girl. I’m busy. I’ll flirt with you when I'm done.” 

    Donald grumbled and led her to the bar, sitting her on a stool and glaring at her, “Got yourself killed on a hunt, huh?” 

    Kat groaned and rolled her eyes, “I’m a grown woman, Da…” 

    His eyebrow flew up, “You think that matters, Alley Kat? Now, how the hell did you get yourself killed?” 

    She told him the basics, and he growled, “You let yourself be infected, little girl?” 

    “I didn’t MEAN to!” 

    “Katherine Sage Gunner! Don’t use that tone with me!” 

    She threw her hands up, fed up, “I’m not Katherine Gunner! I’m Katherine Winchester now!” 

    Don looked at her in shock, “You’re a Winchester now?” 

    She shifted on the stool, picking at the black jeans she was wearing, “Yeah, Da. I married one of John’s boys.” 

    Kat looked up to see him blink a couple of times, “Please tell me it was his boy, Samuel. He was a sweet kid. Dean was always causin’ trouble and foolin’ around with girls…” 

    She cut him off, “Yeah, I married Dean.” 

    Don groaned, “You and them damn bad boys! Can’t freaking leave them well enough alone! Even when you were thirteen, you were all a-twitter over Dean Winchester, and it just got worse from there. That one boy, James? Woo buddy. Thought you were gonna ride off into the sunset on the back of a Harley. But no, you pick Dean freaking Winchester to marry.” 

   She sighed and straightened the leather jacket she had on, “He’s good to me Da. He loves me, and we have two kids.” 

    Her dad glared, “Before or after he married you?” She shifted under his gaze again, and he groaned, “Really, Katherine?!” 

    “Well, our daughter Dawn was a surprise for both of us, but we married after she was born and had Robert.” 

    Don grinned, “I got a granddaughter named Dawn?” 

    “Dawn Samantha Winchester and our son is Robert Jonathan Winchester. Lyra has two kids, Isadora and Lyla. Gary's wife just had his second son. His boys are Jace and Kyle.” 

    He chuckled, “Well, shit. Now, I can’t be mad. Well, not at you. Dean, I’m gonna have to whoop for knockin’ my little girl up and not stepping up right away.” 

    Kat sighed, “Yeah, about that…” 

    She launched into the whole story, telling him about the fight, the demon, and Dean and her break up before telling him about their reconciliation. Don nodded along, groaning at places. He sat back when she finished, absorbing the information. 

    He shifted on the stool next to her and sighed, “Alright, Alley Kat. I won’t whoop him. Much. But I get to knock him over the head once when he gets here.” 

    She laughed, “Okay, Da. But know, he whoops back, and he better not be coming here for a while.” 

     She heard a feminine laugh behind them, and Jo stood there, chuckling. “Oh man, I never thought Dean would ever settle down.” 

    “You know Dean?” 

    Jo grinned. “Oh, I know Dean Winchester.” 

    Katherine groaned, “Please tell me my husband didn’t screw you. I can’t handle any more surprises.” 

    The woman laughed, “No! No, we never did anything like that. He flirted, but I turned him down.” 

    Kat sighed, and Don grumbled, “How many women has this husband of yours had?” 

    She stared at her dad, trying to decide if she should lie. “Um, a few?” 

    Jo burst out laughing, and Don glared, “You lyin’ to me, girl?” 

    Kat looked innocently at her dad, “Is it a lie if I don’t know and he probably doesn’t either?” 

    Kat thought Jo would have hurt herself laughing as hard as she was if she were alive. Don jumped off the bar, grumbling, and Kat laid her head on it. She needed a break. 

... 

    The mulleted younger man let out a whoop, “I got it!” 

    Kat turned from her conversation with Jo and quirked an eyebrow as her father and Bobby ran over to talk to the man. Jo smiled at her and nodded her head towards the men, standing. Kat got up and followed her over. 

    “These angels think they can keep me out; they got another thing coming. Easier than breaking into the Pentagon. Katherine WASN’T supposed to die, but some ass changed the timeline. It seems someone was supposed to save her but didn’t. Made her die. Four people were supposed to die, and Kat wasn’t on that list.” 

    Don grinned, “How do we fix the timeline?” 

    Ash grinned, “Don’t have to. Her angel can send her back. This Azrael fellow can send her back to the body he was supposed to save.” 

    Katherine sighed, “Problem! My body is jacked the fuck up by the virus cure and the attack. Pretty sure I wouldn’t last long but remind me to kick Az next time I see him.” 

    Ash looked at her like she was stupid, “Pretty lady, your angel can fix all that.” 

    She sighed, “Problem two. He’s refused to step in.” 

    He smiled, “That’s fine! You’re a Winchester now. Castiel can bring you back too.” 

    She groaned, “This is going to be a theme, but problem three, pretty sure he can’t do that anymore. Not one hundred percent, though. Maybe like, ninety-nine percent?” 

    Ash glared at her, “Well, every party needs a pooper, huh Kat?” 

   She threw her hands up in defense, “Just trying to clear this up so we have a plan that will work!” 

    Ash sighed and turned back to his computer, “Give me 12 minutes.”


	77. Implementation

    It took Asher ten minutes to figure it out. The plan was laid out, and Don escorted Kat back into her memories. They stepped through the door, and Kat groaned. Dean was standing in the kitchen, cooking dinner shirtless. Don quirked an eyebrow at Kat, smirking, and she blushed. 

    Dean turned around, smiling widely, “Hey, Katie! Dinner's almost ready. Made some burgers and baked potatoes. For dessert, whipped cream.” 

    “Dad, we need to leave. NOW!” 

    Her dad laughed, “Yeah, I don’t want to know what happens next.” 

    Kat pushed her dad back through the door, hoping for something a little less risque. When they got through, Sam and Dean were in the den, researching. They were bickering over the best way to kill the skinwalker they were hunting. Kat smiled and played her part in the conversation, giggling as she remembered. 

    Sam closed the book beside his laptop, groaning, “I’m telling you, the only thing I’ve found is that skinwalkers turn into pets!” 

    Kat sighed, smirking at her dad as she said her line, “Sammy, I’m a quarter Native American. I’m telling you, they can be anything, but their Alpha’s only turning people that can turn into household pets.” 

    Dean grumbled, “Here comes the fight again.” 

    She giggled, remembering what happened next, “Look, I’m not trying to fight. I’m telling the honest truth. Our legends talk of coyote, wolf, raven, and bear skinwalkers. They don’t happen anymore though. Why?” 

    Dean got up from her couch and leaned his arms on Sam’s head, “You ever going to stop arguing with her, Sammy?” 

    Sam pushed Dean off of him and growled, “I don’t want to argue! She needs to show me the proof. You two are always making research so much harder lately. Either you’re distracting each other, or you’re distracting me. Go search for those legends so I can find out what is going on in Alabama in peace.” 

    Dean backed away, leering at the back of Sam’s head before grabbing two books and smacking them together behind Sam’s head. Sam jumped out of his chair, grabbing his laptop, and stomping upstairs. 

    Kat sighed, forgetting where she was and walking over to Dean, kissing his cheek. Dean wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. 

    He grinned down at her, “Good job. It took you ten minutes to break him.” 

    “I didn’t mean to break him! Why did you scare him?” 

    Dean chuckled, his hand trailing up and down her spine, “Because he was arguing with my girlfriend. He should know better. My girl is just as smart as him and a fucking badass. I’m not gonna listen to him talk shit because he didn’t sleep last night.” 

    Don cleared his throat, and Kat shook her head, backing away from Dean and turning towards Don, “Sorry, Da. I forgot.” 

    Her father smiled, “It happens, Alley Kat.” 

    She sighed, swiping at the tear falling down her cheek, “I miss him so much, Da.” 

    He hugged his daughter, “I know, Katherine. Let’s get you home to your family.” 

    They walked through the back door and into a new memory. Dean was laying in their bed, blankets wrapped around his waist, looking through one of Kat’s books. He was shirtless again, but Kat knew he had sleep pants on. 

    She sighed, and Don laughed, “This one better?” 

    She grinned as Sam walked by, Dawn and Robby in his arms. “Much better. Those are my babies.” 

    The scene played out without Kat, the conversation continuing even though she wasn’t joining in. Dawn started jumping on the bed while Dean laid Robby down on his legs, book forgotten on the side table. Dawn jumped off the edge, and Sam snatched her out of the air, twirling her around while she laughed and giggled. 

    She watched her dad’s reaction, seeing a tear roll down the big man’s cheek. “They are beautiful! You two made me some gorgeous grandbabies.” He sighed, “Wish I could have met them.” 

    Kat went over, rubbing her hand over Robby’s short black hair while Sam chased Dawn around the room. “I wish you could've too, Da. You’d love them. Bernice says Dawn acts just like me, though she looks like her Daddy, but with our complexion. Robby seems to be more like Sammy. Quiet little guy. Rarely cries, unless he gets hurt. They both love their daddy and Uncle Sam to pieces.” 

    Don came over, watching Sam twirl with Dawn again before looking down at Robby, “He looks just like you when you were little. His nose is Mary’s though. John’s chin. But otherwise, spitting image.” 

    “That’s what Uncle Bobby said. Though I believe he added a God help you, to the statement.” 

    They walked across the room, watching as Dean curled up on his side with Robby tucked into his chest. Dawn came over and wrapped her arms around her baby brother, lying on her side. Dean laid his arm protectively over his kids, telling them it was bedtime. Sam walked by, dimming the lights as he went upstairs. Kat wanted to lay with them, to feel their breathing and hear the light snores Robby and Dean gave off when they slept. 

    Don walked from the room, and she followed. “You’ve got a beautiful family. I understand why you want to go back. I wish I could've, but my time was supposed to be up. I sat with you until Bobby got there, then I left.” 

    She hugged him, “Thank you for staying with me, Da. I wish that case never happened, though.” 

    He frowned, “But then you wouldn’t have what you do. Who knows who you’d be with now, Alley Kat.” 

    She nodded, “True. But I miss you so much everytime I look at my kids.” 

    He ruffled her hair, “I miss you too, girl.” 

    “Touching. You aren’t supposed to be here, Donald.” 

    Azrael stood against the wall, staring at the two of them. He had a bitch face to rival Sam’s and Kat snorted with laughter. Don grinned and waved. 

    Kat cleared her throat, “I invited him. Figured we could talk about me getting back to my family.” 

    The angel glared, “No, I’m not sending you back.” 

    She giggled, “See! I thought you’d say that. But my friend, Asher, was telling me that this was a HUGE fuck up on your part. It looks like you’re trying to hide it. That’s why it took so long for my dad and Uncle Bobby to find me. I’m in a deeply hidden part of Heaven. So Az? What happens when I decide to run through other people’s heavens screaming about your fuck up?” 

    Azrael shook his head, “Not going to happen. I’ll lock you in here.” 

    Don laughed, “You called it again, Katherine! But Ash thought of that. So he sent a couple of friends to do it. By this point, they had to have reached a couple each. How’s the boss gonna feel about that? How’s your brother Castiel gonna feel when he finds out you let a Winchester die? Because you told Katherine he is searching for the person who disrupted the timeline, but he isn’t, is he? That would mean he would find out you let her die.” 

    Azrael laughed, “He won’t find out.” 

    Kat giggled, ignoring the angel, “But, Da! I’m not just any Winchester. I’m Castiel’s best friend’s wife and Cas’ friend! Can you see his face? I can!” 

    Don laughed, and Azrael yelled, “I am NOT going to let him find out!” 

    Kat glared, “But he already does! See, Da and I made a pit stop before coming back to my heaven. Did you know that the garden here looks like Luthy’s Botanical Garden in Peoria to me?” 

    Azrael jumped as Castiel popped in, looking between Don, Azrael, and Kat. “Kat! What is going on?” 

    Kat grinned, walking over and hugging her friend. “Your brother refuses to allow me to come back because he wants to hide his fuck up.” 

    Cas hugged her back, stepping away and turning to his brother, his glare enough to sober up Kat, “What did you do, Azrael?” 

    Kat launched into an explanation, “I was supposed to live. Azrael screwed up the timeline...” 

    “I knew something had happened to the timeline. Every angel knows the timeline. How did the fates take Kat, Azrael?” 

    Azrael groaned, “I’m sick of playing guardian to the Gunners! And this one? Ugh, always having to swoop in and stop her from killing herself. She had her kids; the line continues for you. I’m done with hunters now! What does it matter if she’s dead?” 

    Castiel shook his head, “It isn’t meant to be this way. She is meant to be alive. Restore her, brother. That is your job!” 

    Azrael grumbled, “I hate this job. Gary doesn’t give me these issues. Lyra? Well, she causes trouble, but she’s easily handled. This one? Pain. In. The…” 

    Don cut him off, “What about Lyra?” 

    Kat cleared her throat, “Lyra is addicted to opioids, Da.” 

    “And this angel hasn’t helped her with that?” 

    Azrael huffed, “Not supposed to. It’s part of her journey. Her kids’ journeys.” 

    Kat’s father mumbled, “Fuck whoopin’ Dean. I’m gonna get this mother…” 

    She giggled, “Azrael, I’d be worried right about now. Between Da, Ash, and Castiel, you are in some hot water. Add my husband and brother-in-law? Well, I’m sure you’ve heard all about Sam and Dean Winchesters’ escapades.” 

    Castiel stepped up in front of his brother, “Fix this, Azrael!”


	78. Restoration

    Kat could feel immense pressure all over her body. Her lungs screamed for air, but there was none to be found. She pressed her hands up, feeling something covering them. She pushed harder, before she felt a hand wrap around her wrist, pulling her up. 

    Katherine gasped as her head and arms broke the surface of the earth. Azrael and Castiel stood over her. She reached her other hand up, and Castiel grabbed it, the two angels easily pulling her from the grave. She stood on wobbly legs, brushing the loose dirt from her before looking around. 

    The town looked deserted at first; then she saw a few people milling around the old hotel. “So, how do I get home?” 

    Castiel pulled out his phone, walking away, and she turned on Azrael, “Thank you. Now go help Lyra or Da will have your wings for dinner.” 

    Azrael glared, “You Gunners are a pain in my ass!” 

    She grinned, “Comes with the territory. Doesn’t help that now I’m a Winchester too. Those guys are a REAL pain in the ass.” 

    The angel laughed, grudgingly, “Yeah, Castiel has his hands full with those clowns. Look, Katherine…” 

    She laughed, “Don’t say anything you’ll regret later.” 

    He smirked, “Call me if you need something. You may be a Winchester now, but you were a Gunner first. I’ll miss your sass.” 

   “See, now you’ve done it. I’m gonna call you every five minutes, just to tell you that you're an ass.” 

    Azrael laughed and vanished. Kat sighed and looked down at her grave, a shiver running down her spine. She heard footsteps and turned, seeing Castiel and Sheriff Andy approaching. 

    She smiled, “Hey, Andy!” 

    Andy’s face went white, “B-But you’re dead!” 

    She laughed, “You had freaking zombies running around here, and you still don’t get that death isn’t always the end?” 

    Andy took a moment and sighed, “Okay, you have a point. Cas here says you need a lift home?” 

    She nodded, “Please! But can I shower first?” 

    An hour later, Kat was freshly washed and in clean clothes. She had found a pair of blue jeans and an AC/DC t-shirt at the hotel. Kat and Andy jumped into his truck, and they started the long journey back to Kat’s home in Illinois. Cas had vanished, and Kat was hoping he was going to tell the guys what had happened so that she didn’t give them a heart attack when she walked through the door in nine hours. 

    She and Andy took turns driving, Andy taking the first leg as Kat questioned him, “So, um, how long have I been gone?” 

    He shifted in his seat, “Six months. Your husband and brother-in-law stayed for almost two weeks, helping us start the rebuilding process. But your husband? He was,“ He looked at her quickly and sighed, “He seemed broken. Sam took him home to your kids the day after Sam buried you. The guy could barely walk to your car. Broke down when he looked at it.” 

    Kat turned away, brushing the tears from her eyes. She remembered watching him break down crying, Nicole trying to hold him up before Sam swooped under his arm and dragged him to Beauty. Kat leaned her head against the glass, closing her eyes. 

     _Six months? I missed Robby’s first birthday, and Dawn’s third will be soon. I’ve missed Sam’s birthday, too, and Nicole’s wedding. How am I going to make up for the time I lost with them? How am I going to make it up to Dean? He’s been alone for six months?! Is he okay? Is he drinking again?_  

    “Have you heard anything from them since they left?” 

    “Not Dean. Sam calls every so often to ask how everything is going. I called on your boy’s birthday. Sam doesn’t say much about how your husband is doing, but your kids are doing pretty well. Couple times they thought I was you calling and Sam got choked up and had to hang up.” 

    Kat sighed, “I should have fought harder to come home. How does someone make up for the fact that they died and didn’t fight harder to come back?” 

    She looked over at him, and he gave her a confused look, “Shit, Kat! Are you askin’ me that? I’d say you did enough. You’re back. That’s all that’ll matter to those men. The kids won’t remember later. But those men will be glad to have you back!” 

   She shook her head, “It’s not enough… I should have figured it out sooner.” 

   The man remained silent, and Kat laid her head against the window again. She wasn’t tired physically, but mentally she was already exhausted. She sat there trying to figure out a way to make the time up with her family. 

    Andy shook her awake when he was too tired to keep driving. Kat took over, waiting for the man to fall asleep before she started breaking every speed limit. She needed to see her family. Needed to hold her kids and her husband. She had to see her friends and family to apologize to them all for scaring them and leaving for so long. 

    Her four-hour drive was cut down to three hours. She smiled as she pulled up, seeing Dean’s Impala in the driveway. She waited to wake Andy, watching Sam walk by the front window and smiling. Her TARDIS mailbox was still outside; the yard still had kids toys thrown everywhere. The only difference from the day she left was there was no snow anymore. 

    Kat shook Andy awake and jumped out of the truck. Andy slowly got out and walked up to the porch. She stared at the front door, still standing by the vehicle. _How can I walk back in there? Is it still my home?_  

    The decision was made for her. Sam walked by the window again, looking out of it while on his phone. He turned away, then quickly looked back. Kat smiled and raised a hand in greeting. Sam’s phone dropped from his hand, and he ran from in front of the window. 

    The door flew open, and Sam launched off the porch, skipping every step on the way down. Kat laughed as he ran over. He scooped her up, hugging her tight and spinning her around. 

    Kat squeaked, “Air, Sammy! Need air!” 

    Sam set her on her feet and held her at arm's length, looking her over. “I can’t believe it. Cas said. But, I didn’t believe it.” 

    She smiled at him, “It’s true. I came back just like I promised.” Her smile slipped, “How are my kids? How’s Dean?” 

    Sam let her go and rubbed a hand through his hair, “The kids are good. Dawn’s always asking for you and Robby? Well, he uses a sippy cup now when he isn’t eating Dean’s food.” He cleared his throat, “Dean… He’s doing okay. He keeps it together for the kids, but he’s not the same since you…” 

    “Since I died.” 

   He grunted, “Yeah. He broke down pretty bad after that. I thought he was going to disappear and off himself. But he didn’t. Didn’t even start drinking again. Said he didn’t want those memories for the kids.” 

    She groaned, “I saw the beginning. I refused to go with my reaper for a few weeks. Tried leaving you messages, but couldn’t figure it out until my last day.” 

    “Dawn found your note. She brought it to Dean and he... Well, he put it in your side table after a couple of weeks.” 

    Andy cleared his throat, and she looked over to see Dawn peeking her head out of the door, “Unca Sammy? Rob’s cryin’.” 

    Sam smiled, “Hey, kiddo. I’ll get him. Did you see who’s home?” 

    Dawn came out, and Kat couldn’t believe her eyes. Her long blonde-brown hair was thicker than she remembered and now hung past her shoulders to the middle of her back. Dawn walked past Andy, giving him a strange look before gingerly walking down the stairs, holding the skirt of her flower sundress up. Kat smiled at how lady-like her daughter was being. 

    Dawn stopped five feet from Sam and Kat. “M-Mommy?” 

    Tears filled Kat’s eyes, “Hey, baby girl! You remember me?” 

    Dawn shifted on her feet, “Unca Sammy shows Rob and me pictures of you. Where you been, Mommy? You made Daddy sad!” 

    Kat knelt down to get closer to her daughter’s eye level, “I had to go away for a while to see Pappy and Grandpa Don, but I’m back for good now.” 

    Her daughter glared at her, “You better not make Daddy cry again. I don’t like Daddy sad!” 

    Kat giggled, “I will do my best never to make your daddy sad ever again.” 

    The little girl glared a little longer, “You promise?” 

    “I promise, Dawn. I never break my promises.” 

    Dawn stared at her, her green eyes worried, but she nodded before she came over and hugged her, “We seal promises with hugs, Mommy.” 

    Kat hugged her daughter tight to her chest, “I like that way of sealing promises. My daddy always made us seal them with a kiss.” 

    Dawn giggled and kissed her on the cheek, “There! Sealed!” 

    She kissed her cheek, “Yes, it is!” 

    Dawn grabbed Sam’s hand and pulled him into the house, Kat and Andy following. The house looked and even smelled the same. The only difference was the pictures on the wall. There were so many of them now, pictures of Sam, Dean, Kat, and the kids in various arrangements. 

    One picture stood out to Kat. She walked over and touched the frame. Robby was sitting in a highchair, wearing a birthday hat. Dawn was standing on a chair beside him, feeding him cake while Sam laughed and wiped cake off his shirt. Dean was nowhere in the picture though. 

    Sam came out of his room holding Robby on his hip, who was huge compared to when she saw him last. His black hair was past his ears, making him look like a smaller Sam. The only differences were his bright green eyes and darker hair. He was laughing and smacking his fists on Sam’s chest. 

    Kat wiped the tears from her face, “Robby got so big! He looks like a mini you!” 

    Sam laughed, “Every time I take the kids to the store, women flock over, talking about how he looks just like me. I don’t even correct them anymore. I laugh and tell them they should see his mom.” 

    She smiled and reached out her fingers before stopping short of touching her son, “I-I should go talk to Dean.” 

    Sam shook his head and handed her Rob, “You should hold your son while I make these kids’ plates for dinner. Andy, come with me, and I’ll get you set up in a room after you eat something.” 

    She stared at her son, who laughed and grabbed at her hair. Andy snuck past, going to the kitchen, leaving Kat alone with Robby on her hip. She touched her son’s head, pulling it to her lips so she could place a soft kiss there. Kat smiled when he left his head against her lips, studying her shirt. She breathed deeply, taking in the smell of baby powder and clean laundry. She closed her eyes and kissed his head again before following the men and her daughter into the kitchen. 

    Sam had set up the highchair for Robby, and she sat him in it, buckling him in before she walked behind Dawn and kissed the top of her head. Sam handed her a blue plate with shredded chicken and chunks of veggies, and she set it in front of Robby. Dawn’s plate was purple, and she placed it in front of her. 

    Kat sighed, watching Sam and Andy sit at the nook with the kids, “I should go talk to Dean.” 

    Sam sighed, “About that. Um, I haven’t told him yet.” 

    She looked at him, alarmed, “What?!” 

    He grumbled, “Cas said you probably wouldn’t get back until the kids were in bed, so I figured I’d tell him then. But you showed up early…” 

    She rubbed her hand down her face, “Sam! I can’t go down there then! He still thinks I’m…” She looked at the two kids and frowned, “He thinks I’m D.E.A.D!” 

    Dawn turned around and stared at her before turning back to Sam, “Unca Sammy, what’s D.E.A.D.?” 

    He groaned, “I’ll explain in a second, Sunshine. Kat, Go! It’s better that he hears the story from you anyway. It’s better that you get it over with rather than worrying like I’m sure you are already doing!”


	79. Reunite

    Kat stood in the doorway to Dean and her room, watching him sleep. He was snoring lightly, and she leaned against the wall, listening and smiling. The room’s lights were dimmed, but she could make out his form on the bed. 

    A gravelly voice whispered behind her, “You should go in there, Kat.” 

    She turned and smiled at Castiel, “I don’t want to wake him. He looks so peaceful.” 

    “He has nightmares most nights. Sam and Dawn always talk about him waking up, yelling. Sometimes it’s just a yell, but most nights it’s your name.” 

    Kat looked back at her husband, feeling guilty. “How do I make this up to him, Cas?” 

    Castiel shrugged, “You could start by telling him you’re back.” 

    She shook her head, closing her eyes and listening to him snore again. “I don’t know where to start with that story.” 

    He frowned and walked into the room. Kat hung back, watching as Cas nudged Dean and Dean groaned. Cas did it again, and Dean rolled onto his side, mumbling. 

    Cas bent down and nudged him again. “Dean. Get up.” 

    Dean threw the blankets down, sitting up. “What, Cas? I was trying to sleep, damn it.” 

    The angel stared at him as he stood, “Fine, sleep, but your wife is back.” 

    Dean started to rub at his face, his hands stopping as the words sunk in. “What the hell did you say?” 

    Kat sighed and walked in, “He said, I’m back.” 

    Dean’s hands fell into his lap, and he groaned, “Damn it! Now, my dreams have gotten really fucked up.” 

    She laughed and walked to her side of their bed, standing over Dean as Cas walked to the other side of the room. “Honey, you aren’t dreaming.” 

    He gave a harsh laugh, “Yeah, sure. Next thing I know some monster is gonna run in here and kill you. Just like every other dream.” 

    A lance of guilt stabbed her in her chest at his words, and she ran her fingers through Dean’s hair. He knocked her hand away, grumbling about nightmares. He laid down, his back to her, and threw the blankets over his head. Kat groaned and bit her lip, thinking. She reached down and pinched his ass hard. He yelped and jumped away from her, glaring and sitting up in bed. 

    She shrugged, “Still think you’re dreaming?” 

    Dean’s glare softened, “I don’t know.” 

    She threw her hands in the air, “Sometimes you’re really thick, Dean Winchester! What can I do to prove it?” 

    Castiel’s voice sounded from the back of the room, “You’re awake. She’s alive. I’m leaving.” 

    Kat laughed as Cas disappeared after he brightened the lights. Dean stared at where the angel had been before turning back to her. He looked her over, staring at the spot on her arm where the infected had bit her. It had been healed by Azrael, but Kat rubbed her hand over it, feeling self-conscious. She stared at her boots, waiting for him to say something. 

    His fingers brushed against her arm, and Kat looked up to see him studying her, “How?” 

   “I wasn’t supposed to die that day. I was supposed to live, and Henry was supposed to get infected but live. My family’s guardian angel, Azrael, screwed up big time. He should’ve been there and stopped my death, but he didn’t show. I died and stayed a ghost for a while, watching over you, Sam, and the kids. My reaper, Abigail, let me stay, only taking me when I couldn’t watch you guys hurting anymore.” 

    She looked into his bright green eyes, tears stinging hers. “I went to heaven… But I hated it, Dean. All of the memories just made me sad, especially the ones that had you and the kids and Sam in them. Watching those moments, “ she closed her eyes, tears falling again. “I lost it. I started breaking things, making scenes, until Azrael came and told me more about his screw up. Abigail was the first person to tell me something had happened. But Az let a little too much slip.” 

    Dean’s hand tightened on her wrist, and he pulled her into their bed, tucking her head against his chest, “Keep going, sweetheart. I… I need to hold you. I’m… I’m still trying to understand that you’re alive.” 

    She sighed and kissed his chest before sliding up the bed. She laid on her back, wrapping her arm around him and pulling him to her chest. He shifted over, putting his head over her heart and sighing. He closed his eyes, and she ran her fingers through his hair as his finger tapped her heart beat against her shoulder and his other arm wrapped around her. 

    She wrapped her arms around him and continued, “Azrael telling me about the fuck up made me so sad, but then I got angry! I made a Banishing Sigil and drew him to me, just to banish him when he called me a Gunner.” 

    Dean’s chest rumbled with his laughter, and she smiled, “That’s when I saw my dad. He and Uncle Bobby showed up in my heaven.” 

    Dean groaned, “Damn it. I never told you about Bobby dying.” 

    She lightly slapped his arm, “No, you didn’t. Imagine my shock when he turned up in my heaven. But then they took me to some roadside bar called The Roadhouse? Well, them and Jo.” 

    Dean’s arm tightened around her, “You saw Jo?” 

    She nodded, “Jo Harvelle. She says hi, by the way. She was shocked to find out that you were married with two kids.” 

     He laughed, “Yeah, I was someone completely different back then.” 

    Kat nodded her head, “Yes, you were. She told me all sorts of stories about you while Dad, Uncle Bobby, and Ash tried to find a solution for my problem.” 

    “I hope they were good stories. Wait, Mullet Ash?” 

    She laughed, “That’s him. Guy’s scary smart! Found out a way to get me back in about two hours. Da helped me convince Azrael to send me back, with some help from Cas. Azrael resurrected me and fixed my body. He and Cas pulled me from my grave over ten hours ago.” 

    Dean was quiet for a while, and she laid there, listening to his breathing, jumping when he finally spoke. “Ten hours ago?” 

    “Well, I had to shower. Too much dirt all over me, then Sheriff Andy drove me here. I saw Sammy and the kids before I came down here.” She looked down and into his eyes, “The kids got so big! Robby looks like he is going to be a linebacker!” 

    Dean laughed, “Between Princess Dawn and Bruiser Rob, Sam and I have had our hands full.” He looked away and sighed, “Sammy has had to pull a lot of the weight. I… I haven’t been much use.” 

    Kat stared at the top of his head, fingers tracing his spine. He groaned and pulled away, his hand grabbing her hip and rolling her onto her side to face him. He pulled her back down the bed, hand pressing against her lower back to bring her closer. She smiled at him, running her fingers over her silver necklace hanging from his neck. She touched her wedding rings hanging from it, and he kissed the top of her head. She placed her hand against his chest, feeling his heart beating and his slow breathing. 

    She kissed his chest, “I’ve missed you so much. Missed waking up to your breathing and your snores. I just wanted to feel your heart beating under my hand. Heaven’s Dean wasn’t the same. I knew what you were going to do. I like my Dean. I like how unpredictable you can be.” 

    He laughed, his hand trailing down to her hip. “Really? Because you used to complain about that all the time.” He pitched his voice, “‘Dean! We’re supposed to be going to my little cousin’s wedding, not screwing in the shower!’ “Honey! I have to go to work!’ ‘Can’t you just let me get dressed without you tearing off my clothes?!’” 

    Kat laughed and slapped his shoulder, “I don’t sound like that!” 

    He grinned, his hand coasting down her thigh and pulling her leg over his hip, “I think the words are about right though.” 

    “That was kinda an issue in heaven. Da and I were coming back from the Roadhouse and hopped into one of my memories. It was, um, well, I’ll leave it at Whipped Cream.” 

    Dean let out a loud laugh, “Bet Don wasn’t too happy?” 

    “He didn’t say much, other than he was glad not to know what happened after you finished cooking dinner, shirtless.” 

    “A lot of fun happened.” 

    She grinned, “If I remember correctly, a lot of fun happened twice.” 

    Dean smiled at her, his hand squeezing her thigh. “It did. Then Sammy came home and found us on the couch.” 

    She sighed, “Poor Sammy has seen your bare ass too many times while you two have lived here. Speaking of living here! How have you been paying the bills?” 

    He stared at her, “Uh, yeah. I have no idea. I haven’t seen a bill the whole time. Same with your phone and the bar.” 

    Kat groaned, “You mean you never thought that that was weird?” 

    He shrugged, “I thought it was weird, but until a month ago, I thought Sammy was handling it. Then he asked me how we were paying them and…” He shrugged again. 

    She sighed, “Do I have anything left in my bank account?” 

    A blank stare was all that followed. “Dean Winchester! You never went to check my account to see if there was anything there?” 

    “Why would I?” 

    “For bills? For the kids? For you? I had a significant amount of money in there, though now it’s probably depleted since I haven’t been working and all the bills are still being withdrawn from that account!” 

    He groaned, “It’s not like I’ve owned a house before or been married! I didn’t know what to do!” 

    She grumbled, “We talked about it, honey! I told you, if anything ever happened to me, call Uncle Boyd. He’d handle everything and walk you through anything he needed from you, that you needed to go to the bank and cash it out! You and the kids are the beneficiaries!” 

    Dean closed his eyes, his hand leaving her thigh to rub down his face, “I know what you said. It’s different when you have to do it, sweetheart! The looks and sad faces… They’ll haunt me for the rest of my life, Katie.” 

    She groaned, scooting up to pull his head to her chest. “I’m so sorry, Dean! My mouth chimed in before my head thought it through.” 

    He shook his head, his muffled voice coming from her cleavage. “I’m not complaining anymore. You’re home, and now I’m getting a feel of one of my favorite body parts of yours.” She tried to push him away in exasperation, but his arms wrapped around her before she could and held him to her. “Nope! Not going anywhere, Katie.” 

    “And when the kids come to bed?” 

    He shook his head, “They sleep in their room. Occasionally, with Sam or me, but mostly in their room.” 

    She sighed, “Dawn doesn’t try to sneak in anymore?” 

    He sighed and tilted his face up to look at her, “Not for three months now. She’ll come get someone if Rob’s fussing, but usually she gets him out of his crib and cuddles with him in her bed.” 

    Kat bit her lip to keep the tears back and turned her face up, hiding it from Dean. He made a noise and grabbed her hips, sliding her down the bed. His fingers trailed up and down her side as the others tilted her face down. 

     “Katie, what’s wrong?” 

    She sighed and stared into his eyes, noticing that his hair was longer and his beard had grown in. “So much has changed. I’m starting to wonder if I still belong with this family.” 

    Dean flinched and pulled her tight against him, his hand pressing in between her shoulder blades while the other pressed into her lower back. “I know how you feel, been there myself. But you need to know; you belong right here. You belong with your kids, with your brother-in-law, and with me, your husband.” 

    She sighed, “Speaking of which, our vows were til death do us part. I died… What now?” 

    He laughed, pulling her necklace from around his neck and sliding it over hers, “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Katie. You’re stuck with me forever.” 

    She giggled and nuzzled into his chest, “Sounds good to me, Dean. But just so you know, I now know how to break out of heaven, so don’t think you can die and leave me. I’ll find your ass.” 

    He groaned, his hand on her back clutching her shirt, “I don’t want to think about that, baby.” 

    She nodded and traced a heart on his chest, laughing when he shivered, “Cold or touch?” 

     “Both." 

    She nodded, pulling the blankets up and over them and flattening her hand on his chest. Dean pulled her arm from between them, wrapping it around his waist. He hugged her to his body, his lips pressing against her forehead. 

    Kat sighed, “So why are you in bed, honey?” 

    “Haven’t been sleeping well. Sam…” He chuckled, “Sam sent me to bed. Then Dawn told me I was grounded to my room.” He leaned back, looking into her eyes, “She’s kinda scary when she’s bossy. She may look like me, but she’s you on the inside.” 

    Laughing, she kissed his chin, “Awe! Big tough Dean Winchester is terrified of his wife and daughter? Say it ain’t so?!” 

    He grinned, “Considering I once watched my wife take down a man twice her size, who was also a skinwalker, and my daughter has brought Sam to his knees twice now? Nah, I’m good.” 

   “How did she do that?!” 

    “Sam and I were trying to get her into a pair of jeans because we were going to a park. She doesn’t like jeans right now. So I told her to put on leggings or sweats, something. She refused. No pants for Princess Dawn. Sam grabbed a pair of pants and told her if she didn’t put them on, he wasn’t taking her to the park. She headbutted him in the nuts.” 

    Kat’s jaw dropped, “What?! No freaking way!” 

    He laughed, “She did! Then Sam’s laying on the floor, groaning, and telling me to stand up to my daughter. I told him hell no. I like my jewels undisturbed.” 

    She burst out laughing, “Poor Sam! You’ve raised a little diva! What are we going to do about that?” 

    Dean grinned, “I figure I’ll leave that to you now. You don’t have nuts. Maybe I can sell tickets. ‘One night only! Mother/Daughter Death Match! Two opponents enter with a pair of pants! One can only leave if she wears pants!’” 

    Kat had tears streaming from her eyes as he sent her into a laughing fit. Dean chuckled, his eyes full of mirth as he wiped the tears from her face. His hand cupped her chin, his thumb brushing against her bottom lip. She smiled up at him and covered his hand with hers, kissing the pad of his thumb. 

    Dean’s phone went off, and he groaned, leaning up and grabbing it from her bedside table. “It’s Sam. Wants to know if we’re decent. He’s going to bring the kids down to say goodnight.” 

    She grabbed his phone, messaging back. Dean tried to peek, and she turned the phone away. He glared, and she checked to make sure the message sent before giving it to him. He laid on his back next to her and read the message, groaning as Sam replied. 

_Dean: It’s Kat. I’m dressed, but Dean is running around in a lacy thong and corset. LMAO_

_Sam: LMAO Sadly, it wouldn’t shock me._  

    He grumbled and sent a message back telling Sam he was dressed and that Sam was a bitch. Sam messaged back one word, Jerk. Kat grabbed the phone and set it on the bedside table before Dean could type out anything else. He glared at her, and she rolled onto her side, kissing his cheek. 

    Dean rolled to face her, his hand trailing up her arm before cupping her neck. His thumb traced her jaw, and she licked her lips, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. He grinned at her, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. Kat sighed, grasping the side of his neck and pressing her lips to his. Dean’s mouth moved with hers, his hands holding the sides of her face like she would disappear if he didn’t. Shifting closer, she wrapped her arms around his waist and holding him against her. 

    Loud steps sounded on the stairs, and Katherine jumped back. Dean chuckled, his hand reaching out and grabbing her arm before she fell off the bed. Groaning, she sat up, leaning against the headboard. The curious look he gave her only made Kat blush more, and she grumbled as he threw his arm over her legs. 

    Sam walked in with Robby toddling in front of him, holding his hands, “Someone just about made it down the stairs by himself! Then he got too excited and almost went face first down them.” 

    Dean chuckled and rolled onto his back and Dawn crawled onto the bed, jumping into Dean’s waiting arms. “Hey! Better than when he decided he could fly and jumped off the couch.” 

    Kat groaned, “What are you two doing to my kids? They were never this crazy when I was taking care of them!” 

    Dean grinned at her; his eyebrow quirked as Sam sat on the bed next to him, Robby tucked into his chest, “Katie, I seem to remember someone calling me in a panic because Dawn had run through the garage with a wrench. Which ended up with her needing nine stitches and Mom needing a Valium.” 

    She glared at him, “That was one time, and I seem to remember some father standing by the bed, fretting over his princess and threatening the doctor when she flinched as they gave her numbing meds.” 

    Dawn climbed off Dean, getting up and running across the bed before running back and jumping into his arms again. Robby watched, head tilted to the side before climbing off Sam and jumping onto Dean’s legs. 

    Dean winced, “That was way too close, Rob.” 

    Kat reached down and picked up her son, lifting him over her head before tossing him in the air. “Look, little man. Daddy might want to use those at some point. No damaging.” 

    Sam laughed, grabbing Dawn off Dean and tickling her, “Not that they work the same anymore. Never seen a guy jump at the chance to get snipped.” 

    Dean sat up, leaning against the headboard between Kat and Sam, “You try having two kids you have to worry about constantly and a wife that jokes about accidental pregnancies.” 

    She set Rob in her lap, cuddling him close and resting her head on his. “We did make two beautiful babies. Not really a chance to have more, now. Guess we’ll have to be happy with these knuckleheads.” 

    Sam laughed, “Unless your angel fixed your tubes while he was fixing everything else.” 

    Kat and Dean stared at him, eyes wide, before Dean asked, “That’s not possible, right?” 

    Sam shrugged, and she groaned, “I could see Az getting a kick out of that. He would have made a great demon.” 

    Dawn yawned in Sam’s arms before climbing off him and over her dad. She pulled one of Kat’s arms off of Robby before curling up with it around her. Kat looked down at her children in shock, looking up at Dean when he snorted. 

    Sam stretched, “Don’t look shocked. They missed you.” 

    Dean grumbled under his breath, “We all did.” 

    She laid her head on top of the kids’, closing her eyes to keep her tears in, “I missed you all too.”


	80. Shock

    Katie woke up the next morning with Robby tucked under her chin. Dawn laid next to him; her father curled up with her. Kat couldn’t help the smile that stretched across her face when she saw Sam curled up behind Dean, the brothers' backs to each other. Her heart felt ready to burst as Katherine watched her small family sleep peacefully. She pulled her arm from under Dean’s, carefully trying not to wake up Dean or either kid his arm was draped over. 

    She abruptly stopped moving when Dean grumbled, his hand grabbing her wrist and pulling her arm back as his gruff voice whispered, “No moving. Sleep.” 

    She bit her lip to stifle her giggle, whispering back, “I need to go to the bathroom, and I haven’t eaten since… Six months ago.” 

    He gave her a wide-eyed look, “Why didn’t you eat last night?” 

    She shrugged, “Didn’t think about it at first. When I did, you and Sam were asleep, and the kids were falling asleep. I didn’t want to wake anyone.” 

    He grumbled and let go of her wrist, “Go eat, woman.” 

    She poked his nose, making him glare at her, “I planned on it, Winchester. Wanna come with me? I’ll make eggs.” 

    He looked at the kids before nodding. Carefully, they both climbed out of bed. Sam stretched and looked at her. She put her finger to her lips before pointing at the kids. More signals and he nodded, remembering their old hand signals for Quiet, Kids, Sleep, and Keep an eye on them. Dean snorted into his hand, watching the two. He disappeared into the bathroom, and Kat went upstairs to use the guest bathroom and start breakfast. 

    She was beating the eggs and milk when she heard the front door open. She turned, leaving the bowl and beater on the counter to see Ashlyn come in, juggling two coffees as she put her keys in her purse. Kat smiled, her friend oblivious as she kicked the door closed and threw her bag on the couch. 

    Finally, Ash looked up, her eyes going wide when she saw Kat and the coffees falling from her hands. Kat gave a finger wave, and Ash screamed, reaching behind her to grab the shotgun from the rack by the front door and cocking it, pointing it at Kat. Kat threw her hands up in defense, backing against the counters. 

    “Whoa, Ashlyn! Don’t fucking shoot me!” 

    Ash’s voice was reedy, “Who are you? Why are you pretending to be Katherine?” 

    Kat groaned, “Sam didn’t tell you either?! I’m Katherine! I’m back. Please don’t shoot! I just got back into this body!” 

    She heard the hidden door open and Dean curse, yelling, “SAM! Ashlyn is about to shoot my wife!” 

   Ashlyn looked between Kat and Dean, eyes wild. “Wait? Kat’s dead!” 

   Kat gave another finger wave, “Undead.” She tilted her head, “That sounds worse. Not dead? No. Soul restored to former body by a very grumpy angel?” 

    Dean grumbled, “Trust you to crack jokes with a gun trained on your chest.” 

    She sighed, “I mean, that is the rock salt gun, so it’ll hurt like a bitch and cause a LOT of bleeding, but I’ll have to kick Azrael’s ass until he restores me again if I die.” 

    Ash looked like she was going to pass out as Dean and Kat bickered. “What..? I don’t understand!” 

    Sam came bursting through the door, holding his hands up when Ash pointed the gun at him. “Babe! No guns needed.” 

    Kat leaned around Sam’s body, looking at Dean, “‘Babe?’ When did they start dating?” 

    Dean sighed, “Two weeks after you died. She practically lives here now. He’s getting his payback for the years of us keeping him up all night.” 

    Ash turned back to Kat, the barrel of the shotgun slowly dipping, “Kat, I thought… Damn it, Sam! What is going on?” 

    Sam walked forward, one arm slipping around the short woman’s back while the other carefully took the gun, his voice low and soothing. “Ash, why don’t we talk about this without the gun and in our room?” 

    Ash nodded, and Kat had to smother a giggle as Sam lead the woman away, noticing their over one-foot height difference and turning to Dean. “Their height difference makes me slightly worried about the logistics of sex between them.” 

    Dean groaned and pulled her over to him, hands roaming over her body to check for holes. “Trust me; they get the job done from what I’ve heard. Most nights I’m shocked they don’t wake the kids.” 

    She smiled up at him and kissed his chin, “I’m glad he’s happy. I remember having talks with him about the idea that he had a cursed dick.” 

    Dean snorted, “Cursed dick?” 

    Shrugging, she turned and started making the eggs again, his arms still wrapped tight around her. “He used to tell me that every woman he had sex with would die. Jessica, Ruby, that werewolf chick, and then there was that whole slew of women in that town that died after Sam went on a bender while soulless…” 

    Dean groaned, his head falling on her shoulder, “Okay, yeah. I get it.” 

    She giggled, “Not to ruin this, but it still works. He and I… Yeah. But then I died to that infected. Cursed Dick strikes again.” 

    Grumbling, his arms squeezed her, “I said I got it. But there have to be women that he’s screwed and they lived?” 

    Kat shrugged, “I’m sure there are. I mean, I died, but technically I’m living again. And probability states there has to be at least one other that lived.” 

    A small whine came from downstairs, and Dean lifted his head, arms untangling from around her. “That’s Rob. I’ll be back.” 

    He kissed her cheek and disappeared back downstairs. Kat raided the fridge, finding sausage and hashbrowns. She started making a full breakfast as little feet sounded on the stairs, and Dean reappeared, Dawn running out to sit at the nook and Rob holding Dean’s hand as he climbed out of the stairwell. He let go of Dean and ran over to Kat, hugging her leg. 

    She laughed and picked him up, settling him on her hip while she turned the sausages. “Good morning, little man! Good morning, Dawn! I’ve got sausages, eggs, and hash browns cooking. Anything else you guys want?” 

    Dawn grabbed a coloring book and crayons, “Apple slices and yogurt!” 

    Kat gave Dean a smirk, “Looks like you, eats like Sam, an attitude like me. We’re screwed.” 

    He laughed, grabbing an apple off the nook and standing next to her to cut it. “If it makes you feel better, Rob looks like you, acts like Sam, and eats like me. We’re gonna spend so much money feeding our boy and so much time chasing our daughter down.” 

    “More like beating boys away with large sticks.” 

    Dean groaned, “Hell, no! My girl isn’t allowed to date until she’s thirty.” 

    Kat kissed his cheek, “Honey, even if she does last that long, it’s not going to help. Think of how much trouble you got in and imagine you weren’t allowed to touch a woman until you were thirty. How much more trouble would you be causing?” 

    “We’d have ten kids by now.” 

    “Not unless you were the one pushing those out!”


	81. Family

    After breakfast that morning, Katherine started the process of getting her life back. She called her Uncle Boyd and had him start his side of the process, after convincing him that she was, in fact, alive. Dean called Liz and had her and her family come over. He sat with them and explained the circumstances while Katie played with the kids downstairs with Sam and Ash. 

    She heard thundering footsteps on the stairs, and she peaked out of the bedroom to see Elizabeth standing at the base of the stairs, eyes wide as she took in Kat’s form. “No?! It’s not possible.” 

    Kat sighed, shifting Rob onto her other hip and gave Liz a weak finger wave, “Hey, Liz. Remember when I told you in high school that hunters end up living bizarre lives? Yeah, welcome to my world, woman.” 

    Liz came over, taking Rob off her hip and handing him to Sam before she started smacking Kat’s shoulders and arms, “BITCH! I cried for weeks! I had to tell my family that you died! And you come back and make jokes about it?!” 

    Katherine laughed and grabbed her friend, pinning her arms to her sides in a tight bear hug, “I missed you too, Snuggles.” 

    Her friend groaned and dropped her head onto Kat’s shoulder, “I hate you and love you. You make my life so difficult. Why do I keep talking to you?” 

    “Because you would miss our witty banter and inappropriate jokes.” 

    “Next time, I’m shipping you a box of vicious, dry humping squirrels.” 

    Kat laughed and let go of her friend, “Well, they need the lovin’, and I’ll be too busy breaking out of heaven to care.” 

    Liz smacked her arm again, “Not funny, Katherine Sage Winchester! Now come upstairs and hug my kids because Alecia is too broken up to come downstairs.” 

    Kat did as she was told, carrying Dawn so that Liz would be less likely to smack her again. Alecia and Libby ran over the second she got upstairs, both girls hugging her tight once Dawn wriggled out of her arms. David gave her a quick hug while Isaiah and Lucian hung back. Kat extracted herself from the girls, going to the two boys and kissing the tops of their heads. She took Sean from David and kissed his cheeks as he giggled. 

    Liz and her family stayed for a couple of hours, listening to her story and telling her about their lives without her. It took the rest of the day to tell her family. Her siblings were glad to hear from her, minus Lyra. Kat was unable to get a hold of Lyra and Matt, and she worried that something dire had happened. She called her niece, Isadora, to get the news. 

    Isadora answered on the third ring, “Aunt Katherine?” 

    Kat breathed a sigh of relief, “Oh, baby girl. Your parents had me worried. Is everything okay?” 

    Issy sniffled, “Mom’s too high to answer and Dad’s drunk again. Aunt Kelly told me you were back. Are you okay?” 

    Katherine groaned, “I’m fine, and I’m coming to get you. Pack a bag and leave a note.” 

    Dean hugged her from behind; his voice worried, “Everything okay, Katie?” 

    “Lyra is stoned again, and Matt was yelling in the background. Issy says he’s drunk. I’m going to go get my niece.” 

    He turned her around in his arms, nodding. “I’m coming with you.”

... 

    It took her and Dean three hours to get Isadora out of the house. Lyra was half-conscious on the sofa when they arrived, and Matt was too busy pouring himself another drink to pay attention. Upon telling them that they were taking Issy, Lyra launched at Kat, trying to claw out her eyes. In the end, Kat had to call the police, and they allowed her to take her niece home with them. 

    Kat set Issy up in one of the rooms down the hall while trying to ignore calls from Bernice. Her voicemail was dinging every couple minutes, and Dean was getting aggravated by the constant calls. He took her phone and went downstairs to talk to his mother-in-law in private. 

    Issy chose the bedroom furthest from Sam’s, liking the built-in loft bed and couch that took up the back wall of it. Kat helped her put new bedding on the bed, put her clothes away, and unpack some of her things. They were talking about redecorating when Dean came back, his jaw clenched, and anger was radiating off of him. 

    He motioned for her to come out of the room and Kat followed him into their panic room, shutting the door behind her. “We’re keeping that kid, Katie. I also told Bernice to bring over Lyla. Your uncle said he could push forward adoption papers and Lyra agreed to sign them. Guess she’s done with both of them now. Matt has agreed too. I’m done with that bitch that gave birth to them, baby, and I hope you’ll agree. She’s been a thorn in our sides for too long, and it was worse after you were gone.” 

    She stared into his green eyes for a moment before nodding, “I think that’s the best choice, Dean. But where are we going to put all of these kids? Dawn and Robert are downstairs, but at some point, they are going to need separate rooms. Sam takes one room up here, and now Issy has the other. This is our panic and weapons room, no kids allowed, which means I need to buy a better lock. We only have one more room, and I’m glad to give it to Lyla, but what about when ours are older and need their own rooms?”

    He nodded and rubbed his neck, “Lyla and Dawn could bunk together, but Lyla is nine now. Isadora is fifteen. She shouldn’t have to share.” 

    She sighed and pulled him into a hug, tucking her face into his chest as his arms snaked around her. “We could wait to separate Dawn and Rob until Isadora moves out. That gives us a few years and who knows if Sam will even still be here then. Rob could keep the downstairs room, and Dawn could move up here with Lyla as her neighbor…” She sighed, “We went from having two kids to four in a day. How does this keep happening to us?” 

    Dean chuckled, “I’m starting to wonder if your dad got to Azrael, somehow.” 

    Chuckling, Katie shook her head, “It wouldn’t shock me, honey. It really wouldn’t. He wasn’t happy about Lyra’s situation and once he found out that she had two kids being raised in that? Not good.” 

    He nodded, and his fingers slipped under her chin, pulling her face up to his, “By the way, Happy Anniversary, Katie.” 

    She stared at him shocked, “Is it already?” 

    He kissed her softly. “Yeah, it is.” 

    She smiled and quickly kissed him, “Happy Anniversary, Dean.” 

    That night, they sat down together as a newly formed family for movies and pizza. Lyla and Isadora had finished putting away their things, and Dean had helped Lyla set up a shelving unit in her room so that the preteen could display her artwork. Isadora had helped her younger sister and uncle hang posters on Lyla’s walls, and Dawn helped by holding the tacks. Bernice had stopped by to drop off the rest of the girls’ things before lunch. 

    They had chosen kid-friendly movies, and Lyla was dancing around the living room, screeching Be Our Guest from Beauty and The Beast while Kat set out the pizzas, salad, and vegetables for dinner. Dawn jumped up and started dancing with Lyla, causing a round of laughter as Dawn twirled, and Lyla jumped. Kat set plates on the breakfast nook and went to grab glasses as Issy grumbled about little kids. 

    Strong arms held her waist as she reached for the cups. “Reminds me of the night I met you.” 

    Kat grinned and leaned back into Dean’s arms, sighing, “Let’s hope no crushes develop in these four.” 

    He laughed and kissed her neck before grabbing the cups and taking them to the nook. “I think there are laws about that kinda thing.” 

    “There are laws about a lot of things, doesn’t mean people don’t break them, huh, Honey?” 

    He grinned at her before giving her a look of feigned innocence, “I don’t know what you mean, Katherine Winchester?” 

    She kissed his cheek as she walked by, “Did you throw out those credit cards yet, Dean?” 

    Lyla went running by, knocking Kat off balance and Dean caught her, “Careful, Lyla!” He grinned at Kat. “Um, yeah. I think I might know where a few of those are that need to be shredded.” 

    He kissed her shoulder, which set the two older girls into a chorus of awe and ew’s, causing Kat to giggle. “Oh! Now we see the joys of having older kids! P.D.A. may or may not be appreciated.” 

    He kissed her shoulder again, and Lyla made a gagging noise, “They’ll get over it.” He turned to the living room and yelled, “Hey! Come eat your food, kids!” 

    Sam laughed, squeezing Ash’s shoulder, “Oh! We get to be kids again. But DAD! I don’t WANT pizza!” 

    Dean picked up a hand towel and threw it at his brother, “Shut up, Sammy.” 

    Kat laughed and dodged the rag that Sam sent flying back, “Hey! Why am I getting projectiles thrown at me?” 

    Issy giggled and grabbed a couple of slices of pizza, “Because you are standing in front of the target making goo-goo eyes.” 

    Kat grabbed the towel and snapped it at her niece, “Don’t make me come after you, Isadora. I know where you sleep at night!”


	82. Bed?

    Sam, Dean, and Kat had to carry the kids to bed that night. Even Isadora had fallen asleep in the living room. Ash helped by carrying Robby, Kat grabbing Dawn. She left Sam and Dean to argue over the other two girls, knowing they both could lift the fifteen and nine-year-olds. 

    Her nieces hadn’t grown up under the best of conditions. Both were underweight and had heavy bags under their eyes, though Isadora’s were far worse. At five feet six inches, Isadora was already taller than Ashlyn’s five-three, but she weighed over twenty pounds less than the woman. Lyla was seemingly less dire, but she was still too thin. 

    Kat tucked in her kids, thanking Ashlyn before they went back upstairs. As they entered the living room, Kat smiled as she saw Sam lift her oldest niece and carry her back to her room, Ash running ahead to open the door. Issy had taken to the man, already calling him Uncle Sam and spending more than two hours talking to him about computers. Kat followed them, opening the door to Lyla’s room for Dean and kissing his cheek when he came out after tucking the tween into bed. The two couples turned off the lights for the girls before waving goodnight, and Sam and Ash went into their room. 

    Dean took Kat’s hand, and they went into the kitchen to clean up, Dean joking, “I’m glad I had David stay and check the soundproofing for our room and put stuff up for Sam and Ash’s room now. Those kids would never sleep tonight otherwise.” 

    She snorted, “You make it sound like they are a herd of elephants running through the living room. They can’t be that loud.” 

    He raised an eyebrow, “I’m pretty sure I could understand every word that woman screamed the first time. I couldn’t decide if I should have been embarrassed or proud of my baby brother.” 

    Kat choked on the drink of water she was taking, Dean coming over to pat her back before taking dishes to the sink. “I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I would have given my siblings all kinds of hell if it were me.” 

    “Oh, I did. Poor woman left here bright red and muttering about never coming back. It was the first time I laughed after…” 

    Sighing, she went over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. “I’m sorry, honey.” 

    He shook his head, placing his arms on hers and squeezing them. “It’s not your fault, sweetheart. You didn’t choose to get bitten by that thing.” 

    She kissed his shoulder before pulling away and grabbing the last of the dishes and bringing them to him, “I shouldn’t have been distracted though. I know better. That’s why I’ve been thinking I should stay out of the family business.” 

    She went to put the leftovers away and heard dishes fall into the sink, turning around to see Dean staring at her, his voice skeptical as he asked, “You’re going to quit?” 

    “I thought it would be for the best. It only takes dying once for me to realize that I should be home with our kids. Plus, now we have two more to worry about here. Isadora needs a lot of help and Lyla is probably going to too.” 

    He stared at her a moment before shaking his head, “It’s up to you, Katie. I just never thought I’d see the day when you would willingly quit. Thought I’d have to wait until you died three times and was unable to hunt because of some freak accident.” 

    She dropped the last dishes into the sink and flipped him off. “Dying isn’t all that fun when you have to sit there and watch your family fall apart afterward.” 

    “Yeah, I never really stuck around to watch. I mean, there was the time I was in a coma, but when I went to Hell, nothing to watch. Just Goodbye, Sam. Hello, Hell.” 

    She smiled and hopped onto the counter while he filled the dishwasher. “You realize that between the two of us, we have been to both Heaven and Hell. I mean, I don’t envy you the whole Hell thing, but at least we both know what’s waiting for us, I guess.” 

    He stared at her, “I’m not saving you from Hell. You go there, and I’ll send Az or Cas. I’m staying the fuck home.” 

    Kat laughed, “There’s my big tough husband.” 

    Dean groaned and started putting more dishes away, “I’m serious. I’m not going back there if I can help it.” 

    “It’s fine, honey. I’ll just have to remember to stock up on spiced rum, aged bourbon, and cigarettes before I go. The King of Hell and I need to talk about who’s taking what shifts once I get there.” 

    He glared at her, and she stuck her tongue out. “You and your jokes. You’ll end up Queen of Hell by the end of the month.” 

    “Good. I’ll be able to save your ass when you end up there because of some harebrained scheme you and Sam get into. Maybe I’ll keep you, and you can make sure I get my daily dose of Dean Winchester Torture, but you know, the good stuff, the kind that is only reserved for me. Not that other shit you had to do there.” 

    He came over and grabbed her waist, pulling her against him as he glared. “You and that damn pretty mouth. Always getting yourself into trouble.” 

    She blinked, “Did… Did you just let me joke about that? I thought for sure you were going to be pissed and go stomping downstairs.” 

    He laughed, brushing her hair from her shoulder, “Then why did you go for it?” 

    She shrugged, “It’s been awhile since I tried, figured it was worth a shot. Also figured I could always do what I did last time and beg forgiveness after you cooled off.” 

    He leaned into her, kissing her neck, “Oh, I’m going to make you beg, sweetheart. But no point being pissed off at you. You like pressing buttons, so I’ll just find a few of my own to press.” 

    She smiled as a delicious shiver ran down her spine. “I can point a few out to you, in case you forgot. Maybe, draw a map.” 

    He grunted and nipped her neck, making her gasp, “I remember them, Katie.” His mouth moved to the top of her breast, biting at the skin before leaving an open-mouthed kiss over the sting. “But that damn mouth of yours is going to have to behave.” 

    She pulled his face back, grinning, “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again. You want it to behave, then fill it.”


	83. End

    His deep growl made her whimper as his hands gripped her ass and picked her up, carrying her through the door to the den before kicking it closed. Katherine wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing kisses against his throat as Dean brought her down the steps, her legs tight around him. His arms shifted, holding her with one while the other reached out to close the door to their kids’ room before his arm wrapped around her back and carried her into the den, his mouth trailing kisses over her shoulder and neck. 

    His hands moved to her thighs, kneading them before he pressed her against the doorway to their room. “You get two choices right now, Katie,” Dean growled, his chest rumbling against hers. 

    She ran her fingers through his hair. “What choices?” 

    He bit her shoulder, making her legs flex around him. “Shower or bed?” 

    She giggled, nibbling his earlobe, “Why not both?” 

    He chuckled, “Be careful what you wish for, Katie.” His arms tightened around her, and he carried her to the bathroom, sitting her on the counter before pulling away. She whined when he pulled her legs from around him, and he grabbed the side of her neck, pulling her face inches from his. “Take your clothes off, or I’m ripping them off.” Her eyes focused on his full lips, licking hers as she felt a wave of heat settle in her skin. He gave her a rueful smirk, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. “Clothes, sweetheart. Now.” 

    Dean stepped away from her, reaching into the shower and turning it on before shutting the bathroom door. Kat’s eyes were glued to him as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it into the corner, eyes taking in every freckle and scar that covered him. He raised an eyebrow when he saw her watching, and he came over, grabbing the front of her shirt and pulling her to him. 

    “Katie, I’m not feeling overwhelmingly patient right now, and I won’t beg you. The first way is going to be a lot less rough though. So here is your set of choices again, Katie. Either take them off, or I rip them, and I’m not kidding. I will rip them the fuck off of you. If you don’t want me to touch you, then leave this room right now.” 

    Kat’s mind was going a mile a minute, reminding her of when she and Dean would meet up after hunts and extended absences. That was the Dean she saw now. This Dean would make her whimper, whine, and moan for hours before they would fall asleep tangled in each other’s arms. Her lungs burned, reminding her to breathe and he chuckled, letting go of her shirt and leaning against the shower, arms crossed over his broad chest. 

    Kat pulled her shirt off, and he nodded, reaching into the shower to check the temperature. She paused as she reached for her jeans, deciding to test him. She walked over to the opposite wall and leaned against it, smirking and crossing her arms under her breasts. 

    When he turned around and saw her, he growled, crossing the room quickly and planting his hands on either side of her head, “You really want to try my patience, Katherine Winchester?” 

    She shrugged, trying to hide her delight at his reaction. “Maybe I’m just living up to my last name? Winchester and pain in the ass are fairly synonymous.” 

    He grabbed the front of her jeans with both hands and pulled them in different directions, making the button fly off and the zipper break apart. “Last warning. Take. Them. Off.” 

    Trailing her fingers over the thick muscles of his arms, she grinned, her voice a purr, “I think you already ripped them, honey.” She pushed his hands down, making him slide the jeans down her hips. “But thanks for the help.” 

    He glared at her and grabbed her hips, turning her around before pressing her chest against the wall. “Fine, sweetheart. You want to play the hard way; I’ll play along.” 

    His hand pressed between her shoulder blades, and she turned her head to the side, pushing her ass out as his other hand gripped the back of her jeans and pulled them down. She lifted her feet one by one so that he could pull the jeans off completely. His chest pressed against her back, hands back on her hips as he held her in place while grinding his hips into her ass and she whimpered. His fingers slid up her sides and back, grabbing the band of her bra and ripping it apart before pulling what remained off of her. She whimpered, pushing her hips back and against his hard cock. 

    His forearm pressed against her lower stomach as he held her to him, his voice a low whisper in her ear, “No, Katie. You know the rules. You stay away too long, and I get to have my fun first. Then I let you play. If I let you at all.” 

   His free hand came up, kneading her breast, and she groaned, “Must have forgotten, baby. Care to remind me?” 

    Dean’s dark chuckle made her shiver, and his teeth grazed her shoulder, “Bullshit. You didn’t forget. You told me yourself that your heaven had whipped cream.” His hand left her breast and his fingers knotted in her hair, pulling her head back and making her look at his darkened eyes. “That only happened once. After you left for a hunt and I had to wait at home for three weeks for you to come back with no word from you for two of those weeks because your phone got smashed.” His teeth grazed her lower lip, his lips barely brushing hers. “Don’t lie to me, Katie. I’ll have to torture you even longer.” 

    His fingers stayed in her hair, their grip loosening slightly when she nodded, his words having sent a wave of slick between her legs. “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” 

    He groaned and his hips ground into her again as his head dropped to her shoulder, lips brushing against her overheated skin, “Good girl. Now, are you going to take these panties off or am I going to have to ruin those too?” 

    She shook her head, “I’ll take them off.” 

    His face lifted and he smiled at her before lightly brushing his lips against hers. “Good.” He brushed his fingers through her hair, pushing a stray strand to the side before leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Do you remember our rules, Katie?” 

    She nodded, licking her lips as she mumbled back, “Green means keep going. Yellow is a pause or slow down. Red means stop, done, off.” 

    He nodded and kissed her neck. “And?” 

    “Pie means more, harder, faster, and all that good stuff.” 

    He leaned back and grinned, “Good. Strip.” 

    He let go of her hair and pulled her from the wall, turning her around before his arms caged her in against the wall again. He raised his eyebrow, and she pushed her underwear down, kicking them off her bare feet. His thumb traced a path down her neck and shoulder, his mouth kissing along her jaw. 

    She sighed and closed her eyes as his rough palms trailed her sides, hands suddenly gentle as they touched her. “Katie, you wanna help me with my pants?” 

    Her eyes flew open, and she nodded. Dean chuckled and leaned back, keeping his hands against the wall as she reached between them and unbuckled his belt. She got as far as unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans before he pressed his hand against her ribs, pushing her back against the wall before stepping back. 

    “That’s good, sweetheart. Now, get in the shower.” Kat whimpered, and he smirked, “Are you going to argue?” 

    She quickly shook her head and slipped under his arm, padding over to the shower. He watched her as she went from over his shoulder. Once she had stepped into the steaming shower, he pushed his jeans and boxer briefs off and kicked them with their other discarded clothes. Biting her lower lip, she took in every inch of his skin as he prowled over to the shower and climbed in. 

    He pushed her under the hot water, brushing the wet hair off her face before pressing her against the wall. His mouth sucked the water from her skin as he trailed open-mouthed kisses down her neck and chest. Her breath hitched as his lips brushed against her nipple and she pushed her chest towards him, earning a throaty growl from him. His lips sealed over her as his tongue flicked over the sensitive bud. She hummed her pleasure, and his hands squeezed her hips before he licked and sucked the water from her skin between her breasts. His mouth latched onto her other nipple, teeth grazing as his hands explored her body. He traced every scar and tattoo with his lips and fingertips until Kat was a quivering mess against the wall. 

    His fingers grazed over her folds, and she hissed, hips rocking into his hand. He looked up at her, his mouth pulling away from her nipple again with an audible pop. He kissed his way back up her body, stopping to pay extra attention to the soft skin of her neck as his fingers pressed against her folds. She closed her eyes as he nipped at her skin, his arousal pressed against her hip. 

    “Put your leg around me, Katie.” 

    She did as she was told, her leg wrapping around his hip and his hand held it around him while the other started to rub over her folds. She pressed her forehead against his chest, breath hitching as his index finger slipped between and began circling her clit. She grabbed his hips, fingers clutching as his mouth trailed kisses over her shoulder. He slid his finger into her, the base of his palm pressing against her clit and making her whimper. 

    He groaned, shaking his head. “Son of a…” His head pressed against the wall, “You’re so fucking tight, Katie.” 

    She leaned her head up, nipping at the base of his neck before kissing over his collarbone. His finger crooked, pressing against her walls and causing her to bite his shoulder. Dean moaned and slid another finger into her before picking up the speed. Her hands climbed up his back, grabbing his shoulders and holding on as his fingers thrust into her. Her breath came out in sharp gasps as Dean pulled his palm from her clit, thumb sliding over to press circles around it. 

    Suddenly, Dean pulled away from her, hand falling to his side. Kat whimpered. She looked up at him, seeing his darkened, heavy-lidded eyes and parted lips. 

    He shook his head, grabbing the side of her neck and pulling her against him, “Fuck this. I can’t wait anymore.” His lips crashed into hers, and she moaned into the kiss, lips moving with his. She knew he liked to draw out foreplay after a long absence, telling her it was her penance for being gone too long. That he couldn’t do it this time spoke volumes to her about how much he missed her. 

    His hands grabbed her thighs, pulling her up against his body. She wrapped her legs around his hips, arms hugging his shoulders. He pushed her against the wall again, an arm holding her up as his hand palmed her ass. His head pressed against the side of hers and she tilted hers. He groaned and bit the soft skin over her pulse as she reached between them and grasped the base of his shaft, lining him up with her opening. 

    He pushed his hips forward, pressing into her slowly and making them both gasp and moan as she stretched to fit his thick erection. He thrust into her slowly, moving inch by inch until their hips met and he let out a low moan as she squeezed him. She whimpered as he pulled back before thrusting into her hard, her fingers clutching his shoulders. His pace was brutal as he fucked her into the wall and his hips slapped against hers with each quick thrust into her. 

    His lips kissed and sucked at her neck, leaving fresh marks on her skin as his beard scratched at her oversensitive skin. His fingers clenched her thighs and ass, pulling her into his thrusts. Kat could barely think past the intense pleasure he was causing inside of her, and she rolled her hips with his, gasping with each thrust into her. 

    She squeezed his shoulder, whimpering “Honey, yellow! You’re going to make me cum too soon.” 

    He shook his head, biting below her ear, “No such thing, sweetheart.” 

    She tried to argue, but his hand moved from her thigh and grabbed her chin, pulling her face to his and kissing her fiercely. His lips were demanding, making her gasp as his thrusts slowed. She tilted her hips, his tip pressing deeper into her with each stroke. His tongue slipped between her parted lips, trailing over hers. She moaned into the kiss, hand tangling in his hair to hold him to her as he continued pumping into her. 

    Her breath seized, and her legs hugged his hips as she climaxed, pulling him even deeper into her. He moaned, lips never leaving hers as he slowed, using slower thrusts to help her ride out her release. She took in a breath as he panted, releasing it in a long, low moan. 

    Dean stopped, holding her against the wall as he took in deep breaths and Kat whimpered, “But, honey. You didn’t…?” 

    He shook his head, his voice even darker as he demanded, “Katie, turn off the water.” 

    She stared into his lust-blown eyes, hand reaching out to turn the showers off. _I guess he can wait and this’s going to be very, very interesting._ His dark grin made her knees shake, and she had to suck in a deep breath to calm them. He pulled out and let go of her legs, settling her on her feet before pulling her arms off of him. 

    He took a step back from her, eyes never leaving hers and he knelt on the floor. His hand grasped her knee, pulling her leg over his shoulder before he jerked her hips towards him. She whimpered as his lips ghosted over her folds. 

    His teeth caught her folds, and her breath hitched before he kissed her thigh, his voice coming from deep in his chest. “Code?” 

    Kat sighed. “Yellow, but also so much pie.” 

    He grinned up at her before tracing the old scar on her thigh with his lips. “I told you I was going to make you beg, Katie. I know what you want, but I’m not ready to give you that.” 

    She hated the whimper that escaped her lips, wanting to be strong against his brand of torture. “Maybe I should say red and go to bed right now. Maybe I got what I wanted.” 

    He smirked at her, and she wanted to wipe that look off of his face. “Then go to bed, baby. You know I won’t make you stay here.” 

    Kat stayed rooted to the spot, trying to decide what to do. He knew she hadn’t gotten what she really wanted. Dean also knew that she would walk away if she wanted. Indecision had her bouncing on her toes as he rubbed his hand over the thigh on his shoulder, chuckling. 

    She groaned and laced her fingers through his hair, “You win this round, Winchester. Green.” 

    She pulled on his hair, and he laughed, mouth sucking and kissing her folds. His fingers opened her up and his mouth pressed against her. Katie moaned loudly, the slurps and moans coming from Dean’s mouth on her were borderline pornographic. His tongue and lips worked together, licking, kissing, sucking until she was a mewling mess against the wall again. 

    His tongue dipped into her, and she gasped, legs shaking. His chuckle as he sucked on her clit and his fingers sliding into her made her groan. Her hips pressed her against his face, the scratch of his beard against her adding to her delight. He pushed another finger into her, curling them to rub against her g-spot. Her legs were vibrating with pleasure as his tongue flicked over her clit repeatedly. 

    She was teetering on the edge of her climax when he slipped his fingers out of her and pressed her hips against the wall, his hand pushing her leg off his shoulder. “Time to wash up, Katie.” 

    She glared at him, a deep dislike filling her body and he stood and grabbed her shampoo. “I really, really don’t like you right now.” 

    “Then next time, don’t joke about torture. If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t joke about it.” 

    She growled and took her shampoo from him, turning on the shower and wetting her hair, her back to him. “See if I let you touch me again.” 

    His arms slid around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, his hard cock slipping easily between her thighs to rub against her folds. “Oh, I think you will.” He grazed his teeth over her shoulder, “I think you’ll let me touch you all night, just to get what you want.” 

    She groaned and tried to pretend he wasn’t getting to her. She scrubbed the shampoo through her hair and bent forward to rinse it out, “You sure you know what I want, honey? It’s been awhile since you tortured me like this.” 

    His voice was a growl as he pulled her back against him, hand brushing her hair out of his way as he whispered in her ear, hips rocking to rub his tip over her, “You want me deep inside of you. You want to feel me fill you up and you want to make me to cum.” His teeth grazed the sensitive skin under her ear, his lips ghosting over her ear as he continued, “What you want is to feel full of me again until you think you’re going to burst.” He pressed his lips to her neck, “I know you, Katie. But go ahead, tell me I’m wrong.” 

    She groaned, “You are a very mean husband.” 

    He backed away from her, laughing, “I’m a very good husband, which is a shocker. But still, you know I’ll give you what you want,” a finger trailed down her spine. “Eventually.” 

    She turned around and grabbed her conditioner from behind him, putting some on the ends of her hair, “It’s really not that shocking, honey. You act like you’re a horrible human being.” She smiled at him, “You aren’t, just mean when you want to prove a point.” 

    He leaned against the wall. “What’s my point, Katie?” 

    She rinsed her hair out while answering, “That I need to stop being away for so long. Kinda mean in this case. Wasn’t my fault I couldn’t get back sooner.” When he didn’t answer right away, she swiped the water out of her eyes and noticed he was staring at her, “What?”

    “That’s my old reason for doing it. Now? Not the case.” 

    She stared up at him, confused, “So why do it this time?” 

    “Because I know you love it, even if you won’t admit it right now. And then there is the fact that you wanted to joke about torture. I lived through Hell, literally and figuratively. I don’t mind giving you a piece of it since you want to joke.” 

    Her jaw dropped, “Fucking really?! You said you were fine with the joke!” 

    He shrugged, “From you, I can deal with it. But it’s still a sore spot. So, I’ll give you that torture you want to joke about getting in Hell when you become queen.” 

    She grumbled and grabbed her body wash, turning away from him to clean herself, “You really are a mean, mean husband.” 

    His laugh made her smile, even though she tried not to. “You love it.” 

    She hid her smile and turned her face to him, “True. But mostly, I love you. I put up with a lot of shit from you because I love you that damn much.” 

    He smirked and stepped closer, holding her close before climbing under the flow of water with her. “Yeah, I could say the same about you, my queen.” 

    She giggled, “Oh, I could get used to that endearment.” 

    His hand reached behind them and turned off the water as he kissed her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hand going into his hair. His gentle kiss softened the edge of her denied climax, making her sigh. She felt him smile against her lips before he stepped away and reached for the towel outside the shower. While he dried her off slowly, she ran her fingers through his beard, enjoying his hands dragging and patting the soft cloth against her oversensitive skin. 

    He dried himself off quickly and threw the towel in their hamper before scooping her up and carrying her to their bed. Dean set her on her feet and turned down the blankets before she climbed in. He chuckled when she pulled him down next to her, throwing the covers over their hips. 

    Kat straddled his waist, fingers splayed on his chest, “So are you done being mean now?” 

    Grinning, he asked, “Are you done joking about torture?” 

    “Maybe. For tonight, definitely.” 

    She shivered from the cold, and he grabbed the blankets and pulled them over the two of them, tenting them over her head. “Then I’m done being mean for tonight, but I’ll do it again if you make jokes.” The thick, black comforter made it hard to see, but she knew where he was. 

     She slid her body back, rubbing her folds over his hard shaft and making him hiss. “Good. I don’t want mean anymore. I want my amazing, loving husband back.” 

    His chuckle rang out, and she felt his fingers slide up her thighs and knead them. She could feel him sit up and his beard rasp against her skin as he kissed her collarbone. Cupping his cheek, she scratched her fingers through the coarse hair on it. His lips trailed up her neck and over her jaw before he pressed them against hers, moving them with hers when she kissed him back. 

    His hands grasped her waist, picking her up before one slipped between them and lined up. Katie held the sides of his neck, gasping as he slid into her slowly. His forehead laid on her shoulder and a small moan escaped his lips as he settled her on his lap, arms holding her against his chest loosely. 

    He shook his head when she went to move, “Not yet, baby. G-Gotta call yellow. Give me a s-second.” 

    Nodding, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing his shoulder and neck. His arms tightened around her, pulling her hips over his. She took his hint and slowly rocked her hips, her head falling on her arm as she moaned. His hand smoothed over her back, the other holding her hip. She closed her eyes, concentrating on his quick breaths and how his tip was pressing deep into her. 

    She lifted herself off his lap before bringing herself down onto him again, smiling as a deep moan tore from his chest. His arms shifted, one holding her shoulder as the other squeezed her hips, pulling and lifting her before she brought herself back down on him again. His hips rolled under her, and she let out a quiet moan, his tip dragging over all the right spots. 

    Their movements stayed slow and purposeful as he kissed and sucked on her neck. Each thrust drew a soft sound from both of them. Kat knew they wouldn’t last long, her release close as she felt his hands flex on her shoulder and hip. She kissed his neck, head resting on her arm as her mouth worked against his flesh. 

    His arms moved her quicker, drawing moans and gasps from them. Dean’s hand tightened on her hip, the other pulling away as he rolled them over, his body pressing her into the bed. Kat rolled her hips into his thrusts, legs wrapping around him as his thrusts deepened. She gasped and whimpered with each stroke, his lips tracing the curve of her neck. She cupped his cheek, pulling his lips to hers. 

     Her body hummed as their lips met, bodies and mouths moving together slowly. Her hips faltered, Dean’s arm pulling them into his as she broke the kiss, her mouth burying a moan into his shoulder. Dean’s low groan pushed her further over the edge, her legs shaking as her orgasm hit. She felt his hit, his arms tightening around her and his cock twitching as he released deep within her. His breath rushed out of him in a long moan. They rode the waves together, both breathing hard as their bodies moved. Dean held her close, stilling their movements before he rolled them over, keeping her tucked into his chest as he laid them on their sides. He pulled the blankets from over their heads, tucking them around their waists. 

    He kissed her shoulder, neck, and cheek, drawing a giggle from her. “I love you, Baby.” 

    She smiled up at him, cupping his cheek, “I love you too, Dean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my first fic. I appreciate every Kudo and Comment I've received and hope to continue to receive. I hope you enjoyed the ride and will check out the other works.


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